


For Eternity

by shalian



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Blackwatch Era, Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Family, Fluff and Smut, Friendship, M/M, Post-Fall of Overwatch, Pre-Fall of Overwatch, Romance, Slow Burn, eventually, premature tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-05-18 02:50:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 27,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14844218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shalian/pseuds/shalian
Summary: It all happened because Hanzo suggested they kiss (again).That—he realized now in hindsight—marked the beginning of everything.Hiseverything.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a retelling of the story of Overwatch, with a twist. From its glory days up to its fall from grace...  
> From the perspective of an old, mistrusting archer and a young, foolish cowboy.

**_Tel Aviv, Jerusalem. Year 2055._ **

The sun shone bright and he felt the rays burn the back of his exposed neck as he made his way down the crowded streets of Tel Aviv.

It’s only been a year since the Omnic Crisis was declared over, but like many other cities and countries across the globe, Tel Aviv had undergone a significant change during the short amount of time that had passed.

The era of advanced technology was here.

Judging by the flow of things from researched and developed gadgetry even before the crisis, everyone who read or watched the news already anticipated the technological boom. It was simply bound to happen. But it was the crisis’ effects that shaped the world to what it had become today.

With tired and heavy footsteps, he trudged up the old concrete staircase of the apartment building until he reached the landing of the 5th floor. The hallway was narrow and a little dirty but having lived there for nearly nine months, he had grown used to it. He didn’t even flinch when he saw a cockroach scuttle past his feet as he shoved his key into the knob.

“Hanzo?” came his brother’s voice before he could even take one step into the threshold.

“It’s me,” he affirmed from the entryway as he removed his shoes and set them neatly aside. Even if the rest of the building was filthy, that didn’t mean he kept their own assigned quarters in the same state. “I brought food.”

A scuffling could be heard in one of the rooms that connected down the main hallway and it wasn’t long until Genji revealed himself, a tablet in hand and his eyes never leaving whatever it was he was reading from its screen.

“Anything interesting?” It wasn’t usual that something could hold his brother’s attention so completely and while in the presence of food no less.

“Yeah,” was all he said in reply as his eyes continued to quickly scan through the text. It was only when he was done that he handed the tablet over to Hanzo while taking the plastic bag he had been holding.

Hanzo walked over towards the connected living room at the end of the hallway while his eyes scanned the article Genji had been avidly reading.

It displayed a series of pictures of an unfamiliar city. The buildings were rather elegant with a monorail connecting the structures from the air. His brown eyes scanned through the article and only when he caught the words “most technologically advanced city” and “City of Harmony” did he finally realize what it was he was looking at and reading about.

“Numbani?” he questioned out loud.

There was no mention of the city’s name itself, only that the city was located in Nigeria and that the city’s name will be unveiled the very same day it will be declared “open”.

“I would think so,” Genji said as he moved around their small kitchen to move the food onto plates. “I guess Old Man Oladele wasn’t as mad as we thought he was.”

He was referring to the old man whom they had met and befriended eight years ago when they lived in Douala, Cameroon. His name was Eban Oladele and he was an ambitious and rather well-liked, genius architect whom Genji worked as an assistant for during their time in Central Africa. They had met the man in 2047, two years into the Omnic Crisis. The fighting wasn’t too bad in Douala at the time. The nearest omnium to them was closer to Cameroon’s capital of Yaoundé which meant that they were spared from most of the conflict and chaos that was brought about by the supposed “malfunction” occurring in waves in various omniums around the globe.

During Genji’s stint as Eban’s assistant, the old man was nearly possessed with his ideas on creating the “ideal city”. He was convinced that if a city existed that catered equality between humans and omnics alike, there would be no wars. It could set an example for a peaceful and ideal future.

Turns out the old man had realized his dreams in the Nigerian Savannah.

“Good for him,” added Genji as he brought the plates over to the coffee table in the living room which served as their official dining area as well. They didn’t have the space for a real dining table. “After the crisis, at least some actual good is starting to come around.”

Hanzo continued to read the article but couldn’t agree more. The recent years have been… _brutal_ , to say the least. Living for as long as they have, it was almost astonishing to see the amount of damage humans can cause onto themselves.

It wasn’t like it didn’t matter to them since they actually have to live through and adapt to all the changes that happen around them as well. They even offer their aid here and there as long as they were sure they don’t get _too much_ unnecessary attention from curious eyes. But for the most part, they were observers. All they could do was watch as the world continued to be ravaged by typical human stupidity.

Sometimes it was amusing, but most of the time, it was just sad.

* * *

**_Santa Rosa, Argentina. Year 2060._ **

He was reading the local paper.

This was something Hanzo found himself enjoying in recent years. He simply couldn’t help himself. Newspapers were becoming less and less common and he knew simply by observing the trend of things over the years that there won’t be any more sold in the next few years. In fact, the very paper he was reading now was one of the last two that existed in the entirety of Argentina.

So, he may as well indulge while he can.

“Hanzo?”

Tearing his gaze from the article he was reading, he looked up just as a beautiful blonde exited one of the two bedrooms they had in their apartment space.

“Good morning,” he greeted placidly. “Tea?”

She shook her head and instead sat on one of the three other empty chairs at the dining table he was seated at.

As soon as she was settled in, she slid over a tablet across the wooden surface towards him.

“Thought you might want to take a look at this.”

Hanzo finally lowered his newspaper and set it aside before taking the tablet.

His brows furrowed immediately when he read the headline of the article.

**Shimada Clan Investigated for Potential Involvement with Illegal Human Trafficking**

Hanzo read through the article quickly while his companion continued to sit in silence, waiting.

The article wasn’t too long. It was still an ongoing investigation and nothing has been verified yet. Most of it was simply suspicion coming in from a tip the police have received.

When he finished reading it, he set the gadget down.

“What do you think?”

He looked up and met Angela’s brilliant blue gaze. Her irises wide and almost sparkling as it reflected a bit of the light streaming in from the nearby balcony window.

Without waiting for him to answer, she spoke again.

“This is the third investigation from this year alone and its only June. We can’t leave this alone any longer. We have to go and investigate for ourselves, yes?”

Though it was a question, a suggestion, even. It was clear from the look on Angela’s face that she was itching to go to Japan and deal with this matter.

“Has Genji seen this?”

She shook her head. “He’s still sleeping,” she said with a sigh before turning to glance towards her shared bedroom with the younger Shimada. Genji always was such a late riser. “So…? What do you say?”

This time, it was Hanzo’s turn to sigh.

It would be a lie if he were to say he hadn’t been monitoring the Shimada Clan’s movements in Japan. Rather, it wasn’t so much “monitoring” but “keeping an ear out”. They moved around so much and in the most random places, it wasn’t often for him to get news that was happening back in his homeland unless they were particularly _big_ events and incidences that would warrant international news outlets to cover the story.

Like _this_.

Hanzo glanced at the screen of the tablet once more before pushing it back towards Angela.

The first article he had read that mentioned his clan came in mid of last year. But it wasn’t bad news. In fact, he thought it was good. Good for them at least. Even if he and Genji are Shimadas and were, essentially, part of the clan, the pair of them had since distanced themselves from the family even if they still shared the name.

It wasn’t a particularly long piece. Just a short article praising the Shimada Clan for their involvement in expanding and revolutionizing Hanamura. The changes made on the formerly-small town was led by the Shimada and was funded by them too. The city had grown into a popular tourist spot ever since.

But that was exactly where everything started.

Hanzo began hearing news of illegal activity from drugs to weapons trade involving the clan and now it was human trafficking. He really didn’t know what in the world was going on or what kind of business the Shimada clan was getting into and he knew he wouldn’t know for sure unless he was there with a better view on things. He knew it was impossible to really get all the details if they were set half-way across the world. This kind of news and information normally don’t go outside country borders, let alone something like this when it involved a particularly secretive family.

No, they’ll have to go and get the information themselves.

“I suppose it is about time Genji and I return to Japan,” he finally said to Angela’s query which was met by a rather pleased look from her.

Neither he nor Genji had been to Japan for…who knows how long.

Because of what they are, they were forced to move around a lot and have as little to do with “outsiders” as was possible. This was especially true with Japan where they were born. The country itself was risky for them considering the people there would be the most likely to understand the nature of their condition. Not only understand it but _believe_ it too.

Reacting to his emotions and thoughts, Hanzo could feel the two spirits that dwelled inside him, rumble to life.

He could tell they were pleased. They were pleased to return, to once again see their home after having left when Hanzo and Genji departed Japan nearly two hundred years ago.

* * *

**_Tokyo, Japan. Year 2061._ **

Hanzo eyed the item in Genji’s arms as soon as he entered through the doorway.

“What in the world is _that_?!”

Genji looked up at him then at the stuffed half-onion, half-octopus tucked within the bend of his elbow.

“Pachimari,” he replied easily before tossing the stuffed mascot over to him.

Hanzo caught it easily with one hand, making the toy squeak between his fingers. He cocked a brow at it then at his brother.

“Japan has changed a _lot_ since the last time we were here brother.” There was amusement in his tone. Clearly he was enjoying the “change” they had missed out on after avoiding the country for so long. “Last we were here, it wasn’t this… _colorful_. And loud too.”

Hanzo begged to disagree.

The last time they were in Japan it was plenty loud what with the clanging of swords between constantly fighting samurai as well as the gunshots and cannons that rang through the air when the Western influence was finally embraced by opposing factions. Sure, it was a different kind of loud from the many arcades that now littered the city and the noisy, bustling streets of Kabukichō, but it had still been loud at the time nonetheless.

“We should have returned much sooner,” Genji said as he plopped tiredly on the couch beside him.

“Genji, we aren’t here for fun and games. We have a purpose,” he said, rather seriously.

“I know, I know.”

The pair fell into silence as Hanzo resumed his reading of the information they have gathered so far on the Shimada Clan. It was all inputted into the tablet he was holding after weeks of investigating not only by him but also Genji and Angela. Angela was particularly helpful. Because of her medical background (it was simply hard not to blindly trust a licensed doctor, especially one as beautiful as her) she was able to get in with people Hanzo and Genji would normally have no access to or even a connection with.

At first, they didn’t get much by ways of information since there were few who were actually willing to talk about the notorious family in fear of getting involved in ways they would rather not. But when they started flashing ridiculous sums of money in exchange for said information, it got easy from then on. Having lived for as long as they have, the amount they’ve spent to get people to cough up information was almost negligible though it would certainly make any normal man who hasn’t seen so many zeroes in their bank account go faint.

“I think what we’ve gathered so far is enough.”

“It’s bad enough, you mean,” Genji corrected.

Sure enough, all the information they received from various sources led them to one conclusion: The Shimada Clan is _bad_ news.

It was disappointing to learn and it was Hanzo’s disappointment that made him realize that a part of him had been hoping that all the news he’s read about the current state of his clan had been false. That rivaling clans or companies were simply trying to discredit the Shimada in one way, shape or form.

But turns out he couldn’t be any more wrong. The Shimada clan really was as bad as the news made them out to be. Worse even.

They were bad enough for him and Genji to intervene and in a way that he really would rather not. But they had little choice in the matter. Being who they are, it was almost their duty to put an end to it, even if it meant an end to their bloodline.

Hanzo sighed and tossed the tablet across the coffee table before sliding down the back of the couch.

“When do you want to do it?”

The question already indicated that Genji knew the decision Hanzo had come to.

“We can even do it tonight if you like. Hanamura isn’t too far from here. I read it in some travel brochure…an hour by car, I think.”

The very idea of carrying out a massacre made the skin of his left arm and right leg ripple. The dragons inside him were getting excited though he, himself, suddenly grew tired at the thought of having to kill his own people.

He glanced over at his younger brother who was picking at a small package between his fingers. It was some sort of snack judging by the way he examined a piece he had managed to pull out before tossing it into his mouth.

Clearly, he felt no such concern over what they were going to do. Even if Genji was a Shimada, similar to him and the people they were about to wipe out, he held not an ounce of loyalty to them.

Hanzo wasn’t sure if this should concern him or impress him.

In truth, even if they did share the same blood (sort of), Hanzo too shouldn’t treat these criminals as someone related to him. Even if they were—though much further down the line—Hanzo never had anything to do with the clan so really, he wasn’t obligated to feel any sort of guilt from their plans of killing them. He should simply treat them like every other man he has killed in the past. Like strangers who deserved not even a blip of his concern.

Another sigh left his lips and he sat up.

“Two days from now,” he announced. “We’ll head to Hanamura tomorrow, scout the area of the castle. We’ll attack the day after that.”

Genji looked surprised by this decision. He knew Hanzo to be more meticulous than that after all. Having only a day to scout a place they haven’t once visited or even seen in centuries before attacking it was almost too reckless for his otherwise methodical brother. He had no complaints though as he grinned widely.

“ _Yosh!_ ”

* * *

**_Hanamura, Japan._ **

Hanzo eyed the genetically engineered _Sakura_ trees which still held its bright pink blossoms, despite it already being the middle of September. He has heard about it of course. The success of the experimentation was all around the news worldwide. It had happened in 2042, just before the Omnic Crisis and it was a cause of many awestruck conversations. It also shot up Hanamura’s spot as one of the “Best Places to Visit While in Japan”.

He wasn’t sure whether to be impressed by this or not. For one, it certainly added to the scenery. But then again, the thought of having to genetically modify something as already naturally beautiful as a cherry blossom tree…

Hanzo shook his head. This wasn’t the time to consider proper etiquette in handling flora.

Tearing his eyes from the pink blossoms, he scanned his immediate area from the building rooftop he was currently perched on.

There were still the same number of guards as there was the previous night when he and Genji scouted the area. Two were outside the main gates with four more right behind it and even more were scattered here and there around the shrine and outer courtyard.

He would be leaving all those to Genji while he heads further in and clears the inner courtyard in time for him to catch up with Hanzo and they enter the castle together.

Reaching a finger and touching the surface of the tiny flesh-colored device inside his ear, Hanzo spoke in a low, whispered voice.

“Can you hear me?”

 _“Yo!”_ came his brother’s jovial reply, seemingly unaffected by the seriousness of the current situation.

Hanzo rolled his eyes. “I’ll use the roof and head into the inner courtyard of the compound just as planned.”

_“Understood. I’ll take down the guards outside then. Tell me when you’re in and I’ll get to work.”_

Without bothering to reply, Hanzo released his finger from the device and began to move.

He made quick work of leaping from rooftop to rooftop until he reached the high wall that would lead him directly into the inner courtyard of the castle grounds. He scaled the wall with quiet expertise and not even a minute had passed when he landed onto the concrete ground that connected to a wooden bridge towards the main building of the castle.

At first glance, he saw about twelve guards patrolling the area though none of them looked like they were particularly alert for any potential intrusion or attack which worked well enough in his favor as he bent low and ducked behind a wall that gave him ample cover.

Now all he had to do was wait for Genji to make his move so he could pick the guards one by one while they were distracted.

Hanzo raised a finger into his ear once more to tap on his communicator.

“I’m in position. Whenever you are ready.”

When he said this, he received no reply. He assumed Genji was simply going in without bothering to confirm it with him but after a full two minutes passed with him waiting there, his back leaned against the wall, he knew there was something wrong.

He tapped on his communicator again. “Brother?” he hissed, voice still low to avoid attention from the roaming guards but hopefully loud enough to make sure his brother heard him.

No reply came his way yet again but it only lasted a few seconds.

A kind of static-y noise met his ear, indicating the communicator on the other end was being messed around with.

Hanzo waited until the noise stopped. He supposed Genji had fumbled with the device and dropped it or something. Either way, there was movement from the other end.

A reply eventually came his way.

But it wasn’t his brother.

_“I know we haven’t properly met but I’m going to have to ask you to fall back.”_

Hanzo froze when he heard the voice. The voice was rather deep and a little gravelly, and obviously not his brother. The accent already hinted to him that this man wasn’t Japanese.

“Who is this?” he hissed, brows furrowed as his anger was already building up inside him. He could feel his dragons begin to dance from inside him and not at all in a pleasing manner. They were ready to kill.

 _“Calm down,”_ the same voice replied and Hanzo could hear the edge to his tone. _“Last thing we want is for the guards to hear you.”_

“ _Who_ is this?” Hanzo demanded again, though this time his voice was much lower. He didn’t want to take orders from a stranger who may have—though it was hard to believe—incapacitated his brother, but what he said was true. It definitely would not do him well to get caught right now.

_“Can’t say I’m your friend but I’m not your enemy either. Seems to me we have the same interests seeing as you were planning on attacking the Shimadas. Now, will you fall back? Your brother is fine and dandy right here with her lady friend…the blonde looker, claims to be a doctor? Your brother won’t tell me his name either or yours so that’s really all I can say.”_

They had his brother _and_ Angela.

Angela was supposed to be in the motel room they had rented in the outskirts of Hanamura where they left her before heading out. It was easy to assume that whoever these men were, had taken her and used her against Genji to surrender. That was the only scenario he could really come up with that made sense. It was hard to believe his brother losing in a physical fight…unless of course he was up against a whole battalion of men or omnics with specialized weapons specifically designed to take him down or something. Even then it was hard to imagine him losing.

“You will _not_ hurt either of them,” he told the unknown man. He made sure his voice wasn’t too loud but he made sure his words were clearly heard as well.

This mission of theirs of taking down their clan was only secondary especially when their secret was in jeopardy of being revealed to potentially dangerous people.

 _“I won’t, if you fall back now. And don’t waste any more time, the sooner you get out of there so we can_ talk _, the better.”_

Hanzo scoffed at this while his mind reeled on the proper course of action.

Even if he did fall back, what’s to say that he won’t get attacked by whoever these people are? If they managed to get their hands on Angela, they certainly know about him and Genji enough to use her against them. Have they been followed? Did these people know more about them than they let on? Were their true targets them and not the clan like they s—

“Hngf!!”

Hanzo was forcefully cut off from his thoughts.

So preoccupied he was that he failed to notice the man who had apparently snuck up behind him until he felt a gloved hand cover his mouth from behind and a strong, muscular arm, wrapping themselves around his waist, firmly locking his own arm and hand which held his bow against his side.

Hanzo twisted around and was met by a pair of bright honey-brown eyes.

“Howdy,” the man greeted, his baritone voice quite deep for someone who looked quite young. His eyes widened a little when their gaze locked and a kind of lopsided grin appeared on his—though Hanzo was hard pressed to admit it right now—ruggedly handsome face.

* * *

Gabe tapped his foot a little impatiently as he waited for a reply, but the communicator was as silent as the dead and all he could do was sigh irately as he tore his gaze from his view over the castle to look behind him.

All four of his men were gathered around their prisoners and looking too relaxed for their own good.

Two of them were currently on either side of their pretty blonde captive, trying to chat her up though she looked nothing short of disinterested in whatever they had to say with her nose pointed upwards and her eyes determinedly shut in arrogance.

The other two were standing alongside their second captive, though they were looking on at their two colleagues while trying to repress their laughter from the rejection they had been receiving since they caught their prey.

Then there was the captured man himself. He was clearly Japanese and looked younger than Gabe by a couple of years. He was currently sitting cross-legged with his hands bound behind his back, looking as calm as a leaf as he watched almost in amusement as his lady friend continued to ignore his men’s coaxing for more information about herself and their little three-man group. She was clearly not willing to give in to them any time soon or at all for that matter.

Gabe sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He’ll be sure to speak to Jack about this when they return to HQ. He needed more and _better_ men in his command.

 _“Boss,”_ came an all too familiar voice which sometimes (most of the times) grated on his nerves every time the cowboy opened his mouth. But now? He was actually glad to hear him.

“What do you have for me?” he replied quickly as he tapped against his own communicator which was similar to the one he had confiscated from their captive.

* * *

“Boss.”

Hanzo narrowed his eyes at the man before him but couldn’t say anything even if he wanted to. His gloved hand was still blocking his mouth.

“I got him right here,” he said in reply to whatever his “boss” said just as Hanzo attempted to break free from his grasp. He hasn’t met that many people physically strong enough to hold him in place like this so he was a little impressed as he was irritated. “Yep…okay, got it. Leave it to me.”

When he finished speaking, Hanzo watched him reach a finger into his ear and tap twice.

One tap held to activate transmission. Two taps to keep the line open. Another two to end the open transmission.

Seeing this had given Hanzo information this _cowboy_ , probably wouldn’t have expected. Their communicators worked just like the one he, Genji, and Angela owned which narrowed down the possibilities as to these people’s identities quite considerably.

Their communicators weren’t available to the general public. In fact, they were custom made for select military organizations. After hearing the man’s voice through the communicator and seeing this man with him in person, it was clear that they weren’t working for the Japanese military. They were clearly foreigners. It was even easier to narrow down the possibilities from there.

He didn’t know of many organizations who might have taken an interest in Shimada Clan activities, let alone any that were big or _bold_ enough to take them on successfully.

 _Overwatch_ , Hanzo concluded as he gave another particularly rough tug of his arms.

“Now calm down, darlin’. I’m tryin’ to think here. Have to figure a way outta here with you without bein’ caught. ‘Less of course you have any ideas?”

At these words, the man finally lowered his gloved hand from Hanzo’s mouth and moved instead to hold both his wrists together behind his back, his grip not letting up at all.

“I demand that you let go of me.”

“No can do, sugar. I got my orders and I ain’t ‘bout to disobey them. Don’t want Reyes on my ass more than he already is after all.”

Hanzo didn’t know who this “Reyes” was but it was a safe guess on his part to assume it was his “boss” and quite probably the very same man he had spoken to through Genji’s stolen communicator.

“I’ll make it worth your while.”

Their eyes met once again and he saw the man’s thick brow quirk high enough to disappear into the black Stetson he was wearing. Whoever this man was, he looked ridiculous…though he certainly didn’t look bad. In fact, the whole cowboy thing even seemed to suit him what with his looks and the way he spoke. But it was still ridiculous. Hanzo can’t even remember the last time he saw a real-life cowboy, let alone in Japan of all places.

“Oh?”

When Hanzo said those words, he had meant that he would pay the man whatever sum of money he would like. It was a long shot sure, especially if this person and his group really were Overwatch but it was worth a shot.

But then he saw it. That _look_.

Not meaning to be arrogant, but Hanzo knew he was good looking. The same could be said about Genji. He didn’t know if it was simply their genes since he never knew his father and it has been a _very long_ while since he had seen his mother who was rather ragged at the time of Genji’s birth which was also the day of her death. Even then he was also very young, too young to even recall much about the woman who had given the brothers life. So, he didn’t know if they simply took after their parents and were gifted with features many considered attractive…or if it was because of the otherworldly creatures that inhibited them whose existence already gifted them _other_ things.

Whatever the reason was, it was true that Hanzo had grown used to the looks this cowboy was clearly giving him now. Blatant interest. _Attraction_.

He has been the recipient of such looks for many years to not immediately pick up on it (and use it to his advantage) when it was clearly thrown his way the way it was now.

Thinking this may work better than trying to bribe the cowboy like he originally planned, Hanzo—still with his wrists locked behind his back by the man’s brutish strength—leaned his back slightly until it touched the other’s shoulder before tilting his head up towards him.

When he saw him lean down as if pulled by some invisible force, Hanzo had to suppress the smirk threatening to show itself over his lips.

The moment their lips touched, he felt the grip around his wrists loosen ever so slightly but that was all he needed.

In an instant, Hanzo quickly pulled not only his head away from the cowboy put also his wrists, successfully breaking free before twisting on the spot and landing a solid punch right into the taller man’s mid-section, grateful that the kind of cape he was wearing didn’t cover what he wore underneath. In the few seconds Hanzo had to land a hit on him, he had seen the chest armor he was wearing and that it only protected him up to his ribs. A design flaw, he thought as the man doubled over down to his knees.

Hanzo didn’t even spare him another glance as he gathered Storm Bow which had fallen to the ground earlier on and started to make his way down the courtyard. There was still the problem with Genji and Angela but he knew his brother will attempt (and most likely succeed) an escape as soon as he gets word of what Hanzo has done. They’ve been through way worse situations than this and they’ve since made several back-up plans for several eventualities that might happen.

What he needed now was to get out of the compound. That was his first priority. When he reached the very same wall he had jumped down from several minutes previous before their plan was unfortunately waylaid, he slipped Storm Bow over himself as he got ready to scale his way up.

Unfortunately, he never got to.

His hands were on the wall when he heard it.

“INTRUDER!!! SECURITY COME QUICK!!!”

The voice came out of nowhere and was so loud that it ripped through the otherwise quiet and still air.

Hanzo turned around and saw the cowboy he thought he had at least incapacitated for a few more minutes. He was grinning at Hanzo, a hand over his mid-section and rubbing it as he slowly got to his boot-clad feet.

He wanted nothing more than to curse at him for his stupidity. What had he hoped to accomplish by letting the enemy know of their position?!

As if reading the expression on Hanzo’s face, his grin only widened. At the same time, he could hear the increasing sound of thundering footsteps as the guards made their way towards their general area.

Before Hanzo could even think of what to do next, the cowboy dashed towards him in a speed he didn’t think he would be capable of just yet and once more he had a firm grip over his wrist. With a particularly forceful tug, he pulled on Hanzo as he all but ran down the length of the courtyard in the _wrong_ direction, going further in instead until they reached a separate garden.

Hanzo was confused as to where he was supposedly heading but it was made clear to him soon when they stopped right in front of a low fence that blocked a rather steep drop beyond.

“Hope yer made of stronger stuff than ya look,” he said, a grin still impossibly plastered on that young and handsome face of his as he stepped over the wooden panels to balance himself on the edge of the rock and concrete.

Hastily, Hanzo followed. The grip on his wrist indicated he wasn’t letting go of him anytime soon and the last thing he wanted was to fall down head first.

“Here goes nothin’… _Yee Hawww!!!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Character Ages:**  
>  (Year 2061, Pre-Fall Overwatch/Blackwatch Era)  
>  **Jesse McCree** — 24  
>  **Gabriel Reyes** — 45
> 
> * * *
> 
> Hello everyone! I'm back!
> 
> This is the story I promised I would post that would be "long and proper" instead of the shorter ones I've written and posted so far. I have several others that I've been writing on/off these last few weeks (I actually wrote a total of 12 stories), each with promising plots (I think) but this is the only one I actually managed to flesh out from start to end so I decided to go with this one first. Since I already know how this will progress up to the end, now it's just a matter of writing out the actual story. I can only hope I can execute it all decently enough and manage to keep your interests up until the end! Don't expect much for the first few chapters though. This will be a slow start.
> 
> As for the tags... I don't even know what to do with those anymore. I've tagged everything that is necessary (even added those that don't apply to Chapter One yet) without really giving away anything. I personally think it's a mess right now so ignore it until I figure out what I should/shouldn't tag. I'll be sure to update it as I go along. Even the summary I put in is half-assed. I'll probably change that later too. We'll see.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter. 'Til the next one!


	2. Chapter 2

“What’s the plan, boss?”

Gabe didn’t give any real response besides clicking his tongue. He always thought all the men who worked for him in Blackwatch were stupid, but McCree… he was the biggest _idiota_ of them all.

They were quite a distance away and even _he_ heard the stupid cowboy when he shouted out of nowhere. He can’t think of any reason at all why he would think it was a good idea to blow his cover and if the idiot survived somehow, he was sure to give him a swift kick in the—

His train of thought was broken when he heard the clunking of heavy footsteps up to the rooftop they were currently on. It was coming from the same fire escape they had used to get up there and everyone turned around with weapons raised.

Not long after, the top of a black cowboy hat surfaced, followed by the cowboy himself, a grin on his face, his cape, dirtied and even torn in several areas with bits of leaves still sticking to him. And following right behind him, a man Gabe didn’t recognize but could easily guess the identity of. He was shorter than McCree by a few inches but didn’t lose out in terms of build judging by the pull of the fabric of his clothes especially around the shoulders and chest though he couldn’t very well tell from his legs from how lose-fitting his pants were and the rest of it from the knee down was covered with a kind of skin-tight armor of sorts.

“So you actually survived,” Gabe barked out, his dark eyes trailing McCree as he walked towards them. The man with him followed without much prompting, probably after seeing his brother and the blondie seated with the rest of them.

“Can’t get rid of me that easily,” he replied with a grin that was a little too cheeky.

As soon as the young gunslinger was within arm’s reach, Gabe smacked him upside the back of his head which caused his Stetson to drop to the floor.

“’Ey! What was that for?!” McCree demanded with a pout as he bent down to pick up his hat.

His colleagues could only shake their heads at their youngest member.

Regardless of his age, however, McCree was well-suited for this job. He knew just what to do without Gabe having to babysit him and bark out instructions every other second which was a quality he wanted in every man or woman in Blackwatch.

But, no one’s perfect. And certainly not McCree who messed up by a _huge_ deal that night with what he did.

“You know perfectly well what you did, _pendejo_ ,” Gabe said with a glare that would make most men quake in their boots.

McCree, however, had the audacity to look surprised.

“What? I had to do _something_. He got a hit in and was tryin’ to escape. It was the only thing I could think of at the time. It worked out mighty fine if I say so myself. No one saw us and we got outta there okay. They probably just thought one of the guards was makin’ a scene.”

For good measure (though really it was mostly for self-satisfaction), Gabe smacked him again one more time before sidestepping him and turning to face their third prisoner.

“So, you’re the brother?” he asked, nonchalant.

The shorter man looked up at him, his brown eyes narrowed suspiciously as he eyed Gabe up and down, appraising.

“Release us,” he demanded.

“We will, after you answer a few of our questions. But let’s take this elsewhere.”

He turned to his men and nodded his head. This was all the indication they need to start moving.

* * *

Jesse was in the midst of inspecting the extent of the damage done onto his cape during his little “fall” (the tree they landed on may have lessened the blow but it was what cut up his clothes too) when he heard Reyes sigh audibly.

He tore his gaze from the black fabric and looked up. He was on a wooden crate off to the side of the makeshift room they were currently in. The rest of his team were either outside standing guard or in another room doing who knows what while he was here with Reyes and their three unsuspecting guests. Really, he was supposed to stand guard and watch them in case they do anything but considering their hands and now even their feet were bound with cuffs even he couldn’t escape from (he tried), there was little point.

They were seated side by side on chairs with a table in front of them and Reyes seated across from them looking nothing short of impatient.

It has only been a good twenty minutes since they got back to the safehouse (which was really an abandoned warehouse in the outskirts of Hanamura) and already Reyes looked like he was ready to blow.

“So,” Reyes spoke again as he eyed the three prisoners one by one. “You can’t tell me your names or where you’re from or why you were attempting to attack the Shimada Clan…”

Jesse wasn’t sure if he was being kind by answering the Blackwatch Commander or was purposely trying to irritate the man further, but the man in the middle with short black hair who was dressed in a type of traditional Japanese clothing the color of black and green with armor pieces here and there, nodded. He was looking almost curiously at Reyes and Jesse could tell he felt little to no fear at all despite their current situation of being held captive by a group of supposedly dangerous men. Actually, they really were dangerous. Just between himself and Reyes, Jesse can’t even begin to count how many people they’ve killed. But they don’t kill indiscriminately, even if they were the black-ops division of Overwatch. Jesse supposed these people knew they wouldn’t harm them especially without good reason. That’s the only reason he could think of as to why the three of them looked so damn calm.

Before any of them could say any more, the blonde woman cleared her throat.

“If it’s all the same to you, we would like to leave. You have no reason or _authority_ to keep us here any longer and I’m about done denying you and your men answers for the million questions you’ve been barraging us with all night.”

Reyes shot a glare towards her and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I beg to differ. We have every reason to keep you here, as suspicious as you all are and yes, I actually do have the authority.”

Clearly, the woman didn’t believe his words as she eyed him more suspiciously now.

“Who do you work for?”

Reyes snorted at this. “Why would I answer your questions when you wouldn’t answer mine?”

“They are Overwatch.”

Jesse and Reyes both turned abruptly to the speaker. The one who spoke was the archer Jesse had brought in. He had been as silent as the grave since they got there and Jesse was sure he wouldn’t speak at all and yet he did. Not only that but he had just spoken words he would never have expected.

This little statement may have surprised Jesse but it did more to Reyes who had shot up from his seat, the stool he had been sitting on ending up clattering to the floor in the process.

“How did you _know_?!” he demanded, growling through his teeth.

The archer looked up at him, seemingly unfazed by the look sent his way.

“Well, for one you _just_ confirmed it.”

Jesse saw Reyes tense up when he said this and even he knew his commander had screwed that one up. He would have laughed, if the situation weren’t so serious. It wasn’t often that Reyes makes mistakes. Then again, he couldn’t blame Reyes even for this slip-up. They were Overwatch but their division was also something that wasn’t supposed to exist, let alone be known to outsiders. They were undercover and no one was supposed to know that they were even there at all. It only made things worse (and complicated) that they were now associated to the group they actually work under.

“And even if you didn’t, it was an easy guess.”

“Is it?” this time, the question came out of his brother next to him.

“They use the same communicators as us.”

Not altogether sure what communicators had to do with anything, Jesse looked from the archer to his brother and their lady friend before finally turning back to Reyes whom he could hear was cursing in Spanish under his breath as he retook his seat on the stool he had just righted back in place.

“I meant to talk to you about that,” he grumbled as he reached into his pocket and set down the two communicators he had confiscated from the two men. “How did you acquire these? This type of equipment isn’t accessible to civilians but you three don’t look like you work for any kind of organization either.”

“That is because we don’t. We are civilians.”

“Then you _stole_ these.” A statement, not even a question. “From where?”

The older of the brothers cocked a brow at Reyes though his expression was still calm as ever. “We did not steal them. We bought them. Anything not ’accessible to civilians’ can be rightly so if you have the means.”

“Brother…?”

He turned to his sibling before sighing and shaking his head. “These types of people will not stop until they get the answers they want and I would very much like to leave.”

“Good call,” Jesse couldn’t help but pipe up, causing the archer to look at him. He couldn’t help but wink at him, which the man pointedly ignored.

“Thank you,” Reyes said, a little to forcefully. “Now, give me names. At this point I don’t even care if you give me fake ones. Just give me _something_ or I’ll start calling you three A, B, and C.”

The woman’s face crinkled at this as she spoke first though only after one final glance towards the older brother who nodded.

“Angela.”

“Genji.”

Jesse looked up again to look at the third of the trio.

“Hanzo.”

 _Hanzo,_ he repeated to himself, making sure to remember the name.

“Surnames?”

“That is all you will get from us where our names are concerned,” Hanzo said, making Reyes scowl at him.

“Fine. Then tell me what you are doing here in Hanamura.”

“I thought it was obvious what we were doing. Clearly we were trying to infiltrate the Shimada Clan’s headquarters.”

“ _Why_?”

“The Shimada Clan are made up of criminals and are a threat onto society. _No one_ else seems interested in taking them down so we thought of doing it ourselves.”

It was a not-so-subtle jab at them, Jesse was sure. If Hanzo knew about Overwatch enough to even guess they were part of said-organization, then it was clear that the words he spoke was meant for them and their lack of activity in trying to stop the criminal organization that has been terrorizing not only Hanamura but neighboring cities as well, especially as of late with their influence slowly creeping over the entire country.

“So, you three are what? Vigilantes?”

The words seemed to spark a kind of humor from Genji as he tried to stifle a laugh which earned him a nudge against the shoulder by Angela.

Hanzo threw a rather impatient look at his brother before turning to Reyes again.

“Call us that if you wish but we certainly don’t see ourselves in such a light.”

Reyes considered him for a while before leaning forward over the table slightly, his hands clasped in front of him. He was frowning still but he looked more serious than he had been all night.

“What did you two hope to accomplish by yourselves? We have been monitoring Hanamura for weeks, waiting for the opportune time to strike. That, of course, included last night when you three showed up out of nowhere and into this city. When we saw you two scout the area by yourselves, quite frankly, we thought you were out getting information for more of your friends who would be coming after some kind of report. Imagine our surprise to find you two actually attempt to infiltrate the place the very next day. Can’t say whether you’re crazy or just damn stupid.”

“Neither,” Hanzo replied, serious as ever. “Genji and I are more than enough to take them down.”

Jesse was almost confident the archer was joking when he said this. But when he saw no humor in Hanzo’s face, he was quick to realize that he was indeed, serious with his declaration.

“I think he’s actually bein’ serious, boss,” he couldn’t help but say, his eyes still on Hanzo as he spoke the words to Reyes.

“I can see that, _pendejo_ ,” Reyes replied as he considered Hanzo for a few moments.

“If you do not believe me, then let us go and do what we had planned on doing before you so rudely interrupted us.”

“You _still_ plan on attacking them? The place will probably be swarming with more guards now especially after the stint McCree pulled to get you two outta there.”

“McCree?” Genji repeated.

“Jesse McCree, at yer service,” Jesse introduced with a tip of his hat.

Genji gave a kind of nod at this. “Fitting name for a cowboy.”

“ _Thank you_ ,” he replied with much emphasis though he was looking at the back of Reyes’ head who refused to turn to him. He and many others have always told him his name didn’t suit his image at all. Now he was glad to see that there was at least one person out there who wasn’t of the same mind.

“You are welcome.”

“ _Anyway,_ ” Reyes interrupted, a bite to his tone. “If you say you’re going back there then I can’t let you go.”

Angela glared at him. “So, _this_ is how Overwatch operates? You imprison _innocent_ civilians?”

“You won’t be innocent any longer when you attack that castle. We can make an exception in this case. We’re technically still keeping the peace this way.”

“By letting the Shimada Clan do as they please, you are not keeping the peace,” Hanzo argued, his voice now slightly revealing his impatience.

“Who says we’re letting the Shimada do as they please?” Reyes countered, his voice clipped. “Why do you think Overwatch is here in the first place? To enjoy the scenery?” he asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

The three stared at him, not entirely convinced but not altogether suspicious either. If anything, they looked interested.

“You are here to bring down the Shimada-gumi?” Genji asked.

“Yes. And you three are making it exceedingly difficult for us to carry out our plans.”

“Why haven’t you made your move yet?” This time, it was Angela.

“I am not about to discuss Overwatch’s MO to a bunch of idiotic and over-confident vigilantes.”

“Let us help.”

This statement came from Hanzo and once again, all eyes were on him.

“Excuse me?” asked Reyes at the same time Genji said “Brother?” and Angela said “Hanzo?”

He didn’t bother turning to the pair next to him and instead kept his eyes on Reyes.

“Two more sets of hands at your disposal. What do you say?”

“What makes you think I need your help?”

“If you didn’t, you would have launched your attack already. If there’s a reason why you haven’t yet then I would assume it is because you lack the manpower in accomplishing your task.”

What he said was the truth. Jesse knew it and so did Reyes. They have been lurking around Hanamura for nearly three weeks now and they only had one more week left until their transport arrives to pick them up and take them back to Swiss HQ.

For this mission, it was just Jesse, Martinez, Bryson, Ando, Greene, and Reyes himself. Not only Reyes but even Jesse and the others were just as uncomfortable about being sent to a mission as big and dangerous as this one with just their current number. For a mission of this level, they would normally go in with at least ten people if they had any hope of succeeding without potential casualties. They could even make do with eight. Even then there was already a risk for potential failure if one of them so much as screwed up in one way or another. But _six_? It was only natural that Reyes, as much of a one-man army as he was, would be hesitant in going in especially without some kind of trick up his sleeve first to give them some kind of edge.

There weren’t many operatives assigned under Blackwatch to begin with and their numbers only dwindled overtime the more missions they did. And Blackwatch missions? They were _nothing_ at all like the ones those under Overwatch were assigned with. Those in Overwatch did the “flashier” gigs. They were by no means easy, sure. Like them, they were still risking their necks after all. But they were more likely to get outside help and not only that, they had more room for error and they also suffered less if their missions ended in failure.

Blackwatch missions and their agents get no such quarter. They were tasked to do things on a whole different level and if they do fail, it usually resulted in _someone_ ’s death. This was proven time and again, even during their last mission in Zaragoza, Spain almost two months ago. They were working undercover, trying to confirm whether the tip they got that a Talon base was really there were true or not when one of their men made a grave error. Said error resulted in three deaths and two injuries which is exactly the reason why they were so undermanned for this mission in Japan.

Reyes had been on Jack’s ass since their return to base at the time, telling the Strike-Commander that they needed more people before they could take on any more missions but the Shimada problem has been going on for too long and they simply couldn’t push it back any longer.

Jesse simply hoped that what Jack had said that he’ll have “more people” for Blackwatch when they come back from this mission was true.

But of course, the bigger issue was whether or not they would be coming back alive for it all to even matter.

“Well?”

Hanzo’s voice brought Jesse back to the present and he watched the archer and his commander as they stared at each other in silence. He was sure he knew what Reyes was thinking. More likely than not, he was weighing the pros and cons of having strangers—whose skill they weren’t even sure of, let alone _seen_ —help them accomplish their mission. The best possible outcome would be that this brother-duo would turn out to be complete bad-asses and help them kick some butt without issue. Worst outcome? They would all die before they could even reach the inner rooms of the castle where they knew the notorious Shimada Clan Elders holed themselves in.

It took a while but Reyes ultimately got to his decision.

“Fine.”

The pros outweighed the cons apparently, though Jesse wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about that. Reyes was his saving grace as the one who had taken him away from his life with the Deadlock Gang. He will forever be grateful for that, sure, but he wasn’t exactly eager to die for the man either.

“Boss…” he started, though he wasn’t entirely sure what he was going to say. He can’t exactly tell him to reconsider. It wasn’t his position to do so. And now that he thought about it, Reyes has never done him or any of his men wrong. Even those missions that resulted in someone dying, they were never Reyes’ fault but those of the men’s inflated egos and overall stupidity.

Reyes turned to him, frowning but not altogether in an angry way. He looked partially thoughtful.

“What?”

“Nothin’.”

* * *

They planned to launch their attack (officially their second attempt) on the castle in three nights.

If it were up to Hanzo, he would have wanted to attack the very next evening. Better to just get things over with. But the man who called himself Gabriel Reyes was adamant with his decisions and Hanzo could hardly blame him. They were, after all, accepting help from strangers and it wasn’t exactly for something simple like accepting aid in trying to fix an engine of a broken-down car. They were about to take down an entire criminal empire. He was right to be wary of anything and everything that could potentially sabotage their success.

The first day and first night with their new (and temporary) teammates was mostly spent sharing information they’ve already gathered on the Shimada Clan as well as planning the finer details of their attack. Hanzo, Genji, and Angela were all still bound by their sophisticated cuffs at this point but they at least released the one that bound their ankles together. And though it wasn’t exactly the best of meals, they also made sure to feed them and also gave them individual futons to sleep on.

The second day was spent somewhat similarly with the addition of checking on their equipment and tools to ensure that they still had enough ammo and other necessary items required for their attack.

The third day, the agents were relaxing. They were going to launch their attack later that evening and judging by the overall calmness that surrounded their little makeshift base, it must have been something like common practice for the six-man group to simply do as they pleased before carrying out potentially dangerous missions.

Hanzo couldn’t help but wonder if it was because they think they might die in the next few hours that they decide to do so. There was something sad about that, though honorable at the same time.

It was also at this time that they finally undid the cuffs that bound their wrists. Not only that, they also returned their weapons from Hanzo’s Storm Bow and quiver of arrows to Genji’s _katana, wakizashi,_ and _shurikens_.

“Would you like a demonstration of our skills?” Hanzo offered. It wasn’t like he wanted to show off but rather thought it would be a good thing if the men they were working with at least knew what they were capable off. To reassure them if nothing else.

Reyes—he told them to address him as such, telling them that everyone else did anyway and when Hanzo and Genji pointed out that it sounded too impolite, he only barked out a laugh—considered him and Genji for a moment before holding up a hand and shaking his head.

“We already made the plans and we all know what each of us are expected to do. You don’t have to show us or prove us anything. Just make sure you do your job and you won’t hear a word of complaint from me or any of the guys.”

Hanzo nodded at this and watched him stalk away until he disappeared into his personal quarters. Though the safehouse was indeed a warehouse when it had seen better days, now that it was used as a temporary base of sorts for the Overwatch men, there were induvial rooms created off on one side made of various scrap material. It didn’t exactly look nice and it didn’t look like it really blocked off any sound from the inside or out, but he supposed it did provide some semblance of privacy.

“I wouldn’t mind seein’ ya work that bow and arrow of yours.”

At the sound of the familiar baritone voice, Hanzo turned and saw the top of McCree’s hat stick out from behind one of the crates in the corner. Moments later, the man himself peeked over the corner to look over at him. Already that lopsided grin of his was on his face.

They stared at each other in silence for a while up until Hanzo turned on his heel to join Genji and Angela.

Behind him, he could here the younger man chuckle.

* * *

_“Is everyone in position?”_

Jesse reached a finger into his ear to tap on his communicator.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he replied in a low voice as he stole a glance over the low wall he was currently hiding behind.

He listened as the rest of the team including Hanzo and Genji gave their replies.

_“Take the lead, Hanzo, Genji.”_

They didn’t hear any reply for confirmation but as soon as Reyes said the words, Jesse heard a something whizz over his head.

He looked up and saw one of Hanzo’s arrows as it tore through the air before landing with a low _thunk_ over the wall above him. No later than when he heard the sound, a body came falling overhead, landing right beside where he was crouched down.

Jesse managed to repress his yelp but he did still jump in surprise and stared at the dead guard’s face as its already dead eyes seemed to stare right at him.

He tapped his communicator again. “A warnin’ next time would be appreciated.”

No reply came to his statement but somehow, he could imagine Hanzo’s proud and too-gorgeous-for-his-own-good face smirking just as he heard another arrow whizz through the air above him.

* * *

Gabe, still in the squatting position he had assumed for the last couple minutes with his shotguns in both hands, was as still as a statue as he listened. He kept his ears open not only for his men’s reports through the communicator in his ear but also to the sounds that reached his ear from the distance.

It had been silent for the most part though he had heard the telltale _clang_ of metal as swords collided indicating that Genji was doing his job somewhere inside the compound.

It was when he heard the ringing of the first burst of gunfire that he finally moved, standing up and getting ready to go in when needed. As with every mission he’s done with Blackwatch, he never went in with everyone else. He always saved himself for last, only going in where his aid was needed the most. It was imperative to keep himself flexible and ready to go where most help is required.

“Who was that?”

 _“That was me,”_ came Bryson’s voice. _“Son of a bitch caught me off guard but I got him. That might’ve blown what cover we had left though. People in the castle must’ve heard that one if you did, boss.”_

There was no doubt in Gabe’s mind that the entire castle heard the shot. He was perched on the rooftop quite a way away from the compound and even he heard it loud and clear.

True enough, a series of shots soon followed before the sound of gunfire and men shouting in Japanese as they scrambled to face their attackers filtered through the otherwise quiet air.

“You have your work cut out for you, boys.”

He heard a muffled grunt of derision at these words which he could only assume came from Martinez.

* * *

Easy.

That was the only word Jesse could describe the mission. Easy, and probably also a bit sad.

It took them an hour to finish up the job and not only did they not suffer any casualties, no one had even gotten hurt…unless you count the large swell on Greene’s forehead after he headbutted one of the larger guards that had caught him by surprise earlier.

Even Reyes, whom Jesse was currently following as they walked down the wooden hallways leading further inside the castle, looked a little disconcerted…not a look anyone would usually find on the usually confident and fierce commander.

He knew of course. As did Jesse and the rest of their team. They all knew the mission only went the way it did thanks to Hanzo and Genji. The brothers were the only change they had from how they usually worked and none of their previous missions ever went as easy and smoothly as this one did. It was clear that it was because of them.

Jesse didn’t see the work the brothers did, save for that guard Hanzo had taken care of at the beginning. He saw the arrow that was lodged into his neck. It was a well-aimed shot, showcasing Hanzo’s expertise with the bow, which—he admits—he nearly laughed at when he first saw the weapon in the archer’s hands. He honestly didn’t think very highly of Hanzo’s weapon of choice, even Genji with his swords and _shuriken_ s were a little amusing. It was the era of guns and lasers after all. Bringing outdated weapons such as the ones the brothers used was a little laughable.

Yes, that’s what he thought. Until he saw the dead bodies. When everything was clear and their task declared complete, he surveyed the scene as they usually did. He saw the bodies the littered the ground. Some of them had bullet wounds on their bodies care of himself and his Blackwatch teammates. Some had arrows sticking out of them, all of which were on vital areas from the neck, to the chest right over the heart, or even through their heads. That was clearly the work of Hanzo. And then there was the rest...

Even Jesse couldn’t help but make a face when he saw the decapitated heads and limbs that were strewn across the compound and all the blood splatters that soiled the place indicating a very brutal massacre.

It was Genji’s work, that much was clear. Out of all of them, he was the only one who wielded a sword. Although some of the enemy guards had swords of their own, they clearly didn’t get much use for them judging by how intact their own team was at present.

Jesse looked up when he heard a kind of low chuckling. It was only when they rounded the next corner that he spotted Genji and Hanzo, standing side by side looking so calm as if they hadn’t just murdered more than 50 people in the last hour.

Hanzo was frowning at Genji, seemingly displeased by whatever his sibling said while Genji was grinning, trying to stifle his laughter for his brother’s sake.

They clearly heard their approach but only turned to them when Jesse and Reyes stopped right in front of them.

“Good work,” Reyes said as he surveyed the room, his eyes narrowing further the more he saw.

Their compiled information indicated that the five elders held their meetings every other night. It was true that night judging by the bodies which lay motionless on the floor. They were still on their floor cushions, apparently killed where they sat by _what_ exactly, Jesse couldn’t even begin to imagine.

There was no blood. There weren’t any arrows, slashes from a sword or even bullets of any kind on the bodies which indicated that they were attacked. In fact, the bodies just laid there seemingly having dropped dead from absolutely nothing. If Jesse didn’t know any better, he might’ve thought they were simply passed out and sleeping. Until he got a closer look at their faces of course which all held similar expressions of sheer terror.

_What the hell happened here?_

Jesse tore his eyes from the body nearest him to look at Reyes who too was surveying the bodies with interest and confusion.

But his commander said nothing about the manner in which Hanzo had taken them down. Instead…

“There’s only four. Where’s the fifth?”

By answer of his question Genji shifted his weight to his other foot but not before tapping his heel onto the large ornate jar at his feet. It was two times the size of a basketball.

Reyes bent down and pulled on the lid.

Jesse immediately scrunched up his face at the smell.

“We think he was in the bathroom when Hanzo took down this room,” Genji supplied helpfully as Reyes closed the jar once more. He could only guess that it was the fifth elder’s head inside the thing seeing as a whole human body couldn’t possibly fit in there. Or at least he thought not.

“That’s five then. Mission’s a success.”

“Thank you for letting us help,” Hanzo said with a rather respectful bow which Jesse thought was rather unnecessary, much like his thanks. If anything, _they_ should thank the brothers seeing as they did most of the work. All the rest of them did was help clear the area of other hostiles. Even then, Genji had taken down a good chunk of them without their help. It was made painfully obvious that the pair really could have carried out the job without their help.

Reyes seemed to be in agreement as he continued to eye the two.

“What do you think about joining Overwatch?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for this very late update! Life has been catching up with me lately and I haven't had the time to write anything at all. In fact, this chapter has been finished shortly after I posted the 2nd chapter and I simply never got around to uploading it. Because of the months-long break I took from writing, I honestly even forgot what's happening in this story so I had to reread it real quick and try to remember the original direction I had intended for this story. I'm continuing this again though so hopefully I can figure things out again and write something decent along the way.
> 
> Anyway, I'll try to be more consistent with my updates from here on out. So please bear with me!

**_Zürich, Switzerland. Year 2062._ **

Hanzo sighed, his arms crossed over his chest as he did so.

Beside him, Genji and Angela shot him nervous looks.

“Brother…”

“It is fine,” he replied, not waiting for him to finish his words. He already knew what he was going to say at any rate. Genji has been repeating the same words for the last couple of weeks after all.

Roughly half a year had passed since their encounter with Overwatch in Hanamura. When Reyes had offered his invitation for them to join, Hanzo had been sure to shoot him down, leaving no room for negotiations of any sort.

Hanzo thought their involvement with Overwatch was over and done with when they parted ways, when he, Genji, and Angela, went to the nearest airport the very next day and caught the next flight out of Japan which had taken them to South Korea. From there, they had resumed their life of relative privacy…or at least they did for a while.

Not two weeks after they restarted their lives in Gwangju, Angela expressed her concerns to Genji and Hanzo that she may be watched. She told them that it wasn’t like she had seen someone actively stalking her, rather it was a gut feeling. This wouldn’t have been the first time either. Angela has had her fair share of admirers in the past, some of which had gone way beyond what is deemed appropriate even before she had met the brothers.

It was from this suspicion that brought about Genji keeping a close eye on her. While they were in Korea, neither Hanzo nor Genji expressed any desire to find work. At least not for a while. It wasn’t really an issue seeing as they had enough money to last them their entire (and very long) existence. This wouldn’t be the first either, especially Genji who preferred to spend his time playing games and doing various activities over actual work while Hanzo took on various jobs simply to pass up the time faster and to add to his already lengthy set of skills.

Angela, on the other hand, was different. She was far _younger_ than Hanzo or Genji and she was still attached to her former life before joining them that her habits have yet to be changed…not to mention her already strong and steadfast attitude as far as her work is concerned. So, she still continued to do her job as she always had whenever possible. When they arrived in Korea, it was actually her first time in the country. She didn’t have a license to continue her practice in the country and so she instead enrolled into a Korean language class much like what she had done when they arrived in Japan the previous year.

It was during her trips back and forth from their apartment and her classes that she sensed something wasn’t wholly right.

Just as she suspected, Genji found out three days later that she really had been watched.

To make matters worse (and more complicated)? Turns out she had been watched and followed by an Overwatch agent.

Genji had managed to corner the unsuspecting man as soon as he spotted him and when he did, he was immediately surrounded by two more who were armed and ready to fight him should he do anything. As soon as the weapons were revealed, Genji considered disposing of them all right then and there but stopped when he saw the Overwatch insignia on one of their weapons.

When Hanzo was made aware of this, their little group became more vigilant. But even if they made it painfully obvious to their watchers that they knew they were there, they still didn’t stop their activities.

Only a month into living in Korea, they moved to Canada. Then Iceland. Then Costa Rica. Then Vietnam. Then finally, to Switzerland.

Except, now that they’re in Z _ü_ rich, they weren’t here with the intention of taking up residence. No. They were there because Hanzo has had enough of being tailed by Overwatch and intended to confront them and personally tell them to back the hell off.

They were in some sort of conference room, all seated at one end of a long rectangular table. The moment the three of them had arrived at Overwatch’s headquarters, the receptionist had taken them there, informing them that the “representatives to the organization” will be with them shortly.

So here they were now, waiting.

Angela was seated in relative silence, a look of fascination with just a tinge of nervousness revealed on her face.

Genji, relaxed as ever and completely unperturbed despite the fact that they were inside the headquarters of the world’s best and leading peacekeeping force.

While Hanzo… well, he was simply trying to not work himself into more of a rage than he already felt even before their plane landed in Switzerland not 24 hours ago.

The more he sat there waiting, however, it became increasingly difficult.

So when the other set of doors that led into the room they were in finally _whoosh_ ed open, revealing four figures—all of which Hanzo, Genji, and Angela recognized but only two they personally knew and met—he was almost relieved.

When Hanzo’s narrowed brown eyes zeroed in on Reyes, today dressed in casual clothes which comprised of a dark grey hoodie and black sweats with joggers, he clicked his tongue audibly.

“Hello to you too, Hanzo,” the dark man greeted, his brows immediately raising at the reception he received from someone he had worked with once before, and even gotten along with to some extent.

Hanzo ignored him and turned to the other familiar face beside him.

“Jesse McCree.” It was Genji who said the name and he said it as if greeting an old friend which earned him a nudge in the side not only from Hanzo but even from Angela.

“Howdy, pardner,” the cowboy greeted the three of them, tilting his head as if he had his Stetson on and was tipping it though he clearly had no such thing. In fact, McCree looked almost nothing like his former self that Hanzo had remembered. He wasn’t even dressed like a cowboy but rather in a tight-fitting black tank-top which seemed to highlight his broad shoulders and muscular chest. This was matched with black sweats and joggers just like Reyes.

Right now, he looked even younger than Hanzo had thought him to be. When they met in Hanamura, Hanzo had assumed McCree was in his 30s. But it was clear to him now that he was much younger than that. He supposed his beard at the time had given him the impression that the cowboy was much older than he actually was.

Hanzo’s brows furrowed as he scrutinized him. His face was completely shaven save for the early signs of stubble already poking out along his jawline and his chestnut brown hair was slightly longer now too, judging by the way he was able to tie it into a very short ponytail just above his neck.

Apparently sensing his gaze, McCree turned to look at Hanzo and flashed that familiar lopsided smile of his.

He scowled at him by ways of a reply.

“So, these are the three I have heard much about.”

At the sound of the rich, gravelly voice, Hanzo turned his attention to the man on Reyes’ other side, the same one who had led their group into the room.

Hanzo knew him of course. He had seen his face on various news channels and articles since the time of the Omnic Crisis though at that time, he was mostly featured as a decorated soldier for the U.S. Military.

“Jack Morrison,” Hanzo said, his voice sounding as unimpressed as his face looked.

The Overwatch Strike-Commander looked at him.

“Hanzo,” he greeted with a slight nod of his head before he held up the tablet he had been holding and swiped a finger across the screen. “Or which name would you rather I use?”

When he started naming all the aliases Hanzo had personally used since they left Japan, he was all-out glaring at the man and gritting his teeth behind pursed lips.

“Brother,” came Genji’s voice, his tone both warning and soothing at the same time.

Hanzo took a deep breath and tried his hardest to calm down before speaking again.

“You have made this easier then. If you know the aliases I have used, then it only confirms what everyone in this room must already know. Your organization has been tailing us since we left Hanamura. We have come here in person to tell you to _stop_.”

He made sure his words came out as demanding. This wasn’t a request after all.

“Tailin’ you?” echoed McCree with apparent surprise which left Hanzo no doubt that he at least didn’t have a clue about what his fellow agents were doing.

The other three on the other hand didn’t look surprised in the slightest. Reyes even looked a little smug if anything.

“Judging by the reports we have received from the agents that have only been _observing_ you, they haven’t done anything in terms of disturbing your day to day activities. So, what exactly is your point of concern?”

“Lack of privacy and your organization’s overall lack of concern for one’s personal space,” Hanzo practically spat out as he shot his glare this time to the woman who had just spoken, someone he knew to be Ana Amari, the renowned and former sniper of the Egyptian Army and one of Overwatch’s founding members. Although not as often as Jack, he too has seen and therefore heard of her from several press releases involving Overwatch.

She regarded Hanzo with a look that looked rather like amusement before looking over at Reyes and McCree whom she seemed to be conversing with a single, wordless look.

Jack cleared his throat, bringing his colleagues into attention.

“I believe Gabriel has issued an invitation to your group about joining Overwatch?”

“Which we have already declined,” Hanzo answered, serious as ever and leaving them little doubt that their feelings on the matter hasn’t changed in the slightest.

His manner of speaking and the way he looked at him seem to have convinced Jack similarly as he stood up straighter.

“Still, I would like you to consider it again.”

“Excuse me?”

“Our organization has taken an interest in you and your party, Hanzo. And if everything Gabriel and his team said is true, then I think you three would make a great addition to Overwatch.”

The sound of a tongue clicking made everyone in the room turn to Reyes who was eying Jack with a rather suspicious look that Hanzo didn’t really understand the meaning of.

But Jack simply looked back at him with a neutral expression before he began to make his way back towards the door through which they entered.

“I shall return in half an hour, hopefully with a favorable answer.”

He didn’t leave room for Hanzo to speak again which irritated him but he was held back by Genji who nudged him from underneath the table.

The doors slid open and Jack left. Ana exchanged a few words with both Reyes and McCree that they didn’t hear before she turned to look at them. She gave a wink towards Hanzo before she too took her leave.

They continued to watch, waiting for Reyes and McCree to leave but they didn’t. Instead, they sat on the chairs nearest them and regarded Hanzo, Genji, and Angela with interest.

“So, you’ve met our _esteemed_ Strike-Commander,” Reyes said as he casually leaned back against his seat. His tone when talking about his superior(?) was rather sarcastic. “Did his pretty blue eyes get you to change your mind in joining?”

Hanzo scoffed at this and he saw McCree grin at Reyes.

“Also, just so you three know, I wasn’t the one who set the dogs on you. That’s not how I personally do things, and I do owe you for the help you gave in Hanamura. It’s not just the higher-ups in Overwatch but even the IJC—that’s the International Justice Commission, a division of the UN in charge of global security which Overwatch falls under, case you didn’t already know—has taken an interest in you too.”

This information was news to Hanzo, Genji, and Angela. They knew about Overwatch (who didn’t?) and they already guessed at the reasons why they’ve been hounding them everywhere they went since Hanamura. But that even the _IJC_ was interested in them?

They’ve successfully laid low for decades, _centuries_ , and yet now…

Hanzo cursed under his breath before pushing his chair back and standing up, rather abruptly that it even surprised both Genji and Angela.

“We are leaving,” he announced, fully intending on storming out of the room and building. He didn’t want any more to do with Overwatch than he already did and simply wanted to go. They’ll most likely still continue to follow them around to every corner of the world that they went but so be it. Sooner or later, they will grow tired of it. Not to mention the expenses it will take to keep up with them. And if that doesn’t deter them still, then Hanzo could always resort to less savory means. It wouldn’t be the first time he would kill after all, though it might be the first time he’d be targeting innocents.

“Brother,” Genji spoke up, interrupting his already violent thought-process. “I think we should discuss this properly in length first.” His voice was comforting and reasonable.

“I agree,” piped up McCree though no one really asked him. Not to mention his own feelings and opinions on the matter mattered very little, if at all.

Reyes cocked a brow at him to which the cowboy shrugged his shoulders. “What?”

Sighing as he looked at his brother and to Angela who too was looking calmer than he was, Hanzo sat back down.

* * *

He looked behind him just as the metal doors slid back to a close.

“You think they’re gonna join up?”

In front of him, Reyes simply leaned back against the opposite wall, his arms crossed over his chest. Before the front desk contacted him, informing him of their unexpected guests, he and McCree had been heading towards the gym where the rest of the Blackwatch members already were. But now, his commander didn’t seem at all inclined to leave the present situation for anything else.

“Who knows. Wouldn’t mind getting them on board though. Between the two of us, we already know what those brothers are capable of. And I wouldn’t mind having our very own dedicated medic on the field either.”

“Medic?”

“The woman, Angela. She’s a doctor and a pretty damn good one at that.”

“Looks to me you ain’t the only one who wants ‘em though. You saw the look Jack gave ‘em.”

Reyes grunted in reply to this. “As if I’ll let him. We found them first. I’ll fight tooth and nail if I have to if it means I get to add them to my team.”

* * *

Two sets of eyes turn to him as soon as the doors closed behind Reyes and McCree, one expecting, the other…downright hopeful.

Hanzo looked at his brother, brows furrowed.

“Do you actually _want_ to join Overwatch, Genji?”

Genji gave a noncommittal shrug at this, feigning indifference despite the wide grin already plastered on his face. “I think it would be fun. It has been rather _boring_ these last years, Hanzo. Think about what we’ll be able to do if we actually join Overwatch! More excitement, more fights and it’ll be to help others too. It’s a win-win, yes?” When Hanzo didn’t look convinced in the slightest, he pressed on. “The world is changing, brother. Rapidly so, as of late. We should change too…or at least our lifestyle. See where it takes us.”

Next to him, Angela cleared her throat. She was eyeing Genji wearily before turning her brilliant gaze to Hanzo.

“I have to agree with Genji.” Her statement came as a surprise not only to Hanzo but even to Genji whose eyes widened, clearly not expecting her to be on his side on the matter.

“Do you?!” His brother sounded more surprised than Hanzo felt.

Angela rolled her eyes at her partner before returning her gaze back to the older of the siblings. Though Hanzo was apprehensive to hear what she was going to say in her defense of wanting to join the organization, he at least already knew her reasoning would be sounder than his brother’s.

“It may be selfish of me to say, but I think I can do _more_ with Overwatch as far as my work is concerned. I’ll likely get better headway with my research if I can have access to the kind of equipment and information Overwatch possesses.”

Of course.

This was—Hanzo was certain—probably the only reason why Angela would even ever _consider_ associating herself with an organization that deals with so much violence, even if it was under the guise of “keeping the peace”. Overwatch’s goals are closely related to what she herself wants to accomplish as a doctor and joining them would probably mean she could do more than she’s already done in her (already lengthy) lifetime.

Frowning, Hanzo considers each of the pair’s reasoning. It wasn’t like he was against Overwatch. A little ambitious in their goals, sure, but he thought the group was in the right track as far as keeping the world at peace go. Really, the only concern he had about joining them or _any_ group outside the three of them for any length in time is the risk of their secret being found out. The reason why they’ve lived for as long as they have with _zero_ issues was because they kept to themselves and made sure to not let anyone in. Their way of life clearly worked, even if it was, as Genji put it, _boring_.

Joining Overwatch would mean doing the very opposite of what they’ve been doing and increasing the chances of outsiders learning of their secret by a hundred-fold. What then? There’s also the issue with the UN being involved with their case. If they really were as interested in them as suggested, what’s to say they would stop keeping an eye on them when they leave? Their little group will be more restricted from here on out. Maybe it would be wiser to join Overwatch? Perhaps just to hide right under their noses for a while, enough so they will stop actively keeping an eye on their activities?

At that point, Hanzo’s mind was reeling of all sorts of scenarios and what-ifs.

“Brother?”

Looking up, he saw Genji’s still hopeful expression and Angela’s still expecting one. Already he can feel his own usually-immovable resolve crumbling. Until now, these two have never asked him for anything and have always followed him without question, respecting his decision and judgment for all manner of things.

Hanzo took a deep breath and exhaled noisily.

He supposed, for once, he _could_ give in to what they wanted…despite his own hesitance and reservations.

* * *

“What’s the matter with him?”

Jesse tore his gaze from the back of Hanzo’s head to look at Reyes who was walking next to the archer, a few feet in front of himself and Genji. Even if he couldn’t see his commander’s face, it was clear from how tense his broad shoulders were and the somehow mean aura emanating from him that he was pissed. Or sulking. Probably both.

He had to try and not to chuckle. He, for one, was in a pretty damn good mood.

Ducking his head, he leaned slightly toward Genji and kept his voice low as he spoke.

“He’s just upset about the recruitment. Don’t mind him. He’ll get over it.”

“Is he? We joined though. I thought he wanted us on his team?”

“Yeah, he wanted all _three_ of you to join Blackwatch. But he only gets two. Almost one if he hadn’t fought Jack for it.”

“You mean if Hanzo hadn’t personally requested to be enlisted into the spec-ops division,” Genji corrected, brows raised at him.

If Jesse were to admit, not only was he surprised that the three-man group actually consented to join Overwatch, he was more surprised by the arrangement of it all.

When Jack returned—with Reyes and himself following in after him of course—Hanzo had told them they have agreed to join though only on the condition of signing an open contract. They want to be free to leave the organization whenever they please without the hassle of having restrictions and conditions, and they want Overwatch’s assurance that they will not be followed or monitored when that times does come.

This made Jack and even Reyes a little more than uncomfortable. What’s to say they won’t leave after only a month’s work in Overwatch after all? They’ll be revealing a lot of their secrets to them only to have them leave with all that information. But in the end, they came to a compromise. They promised at least three years of their service and after that, they are free to decide what they will. The commanders felt that this much of guaranteed time would at least butter them up to the other agents or the organization as a whole, enough so they either decide to stay on longer or develop some form of loyalty that would mean they won’t go about blabbing any secrets they might learn while on board if and when they do decide to leave.

When all this was settled, then came the assignments.

It was obvious, even to Jesse, that Jack was determined to have Hanzo and Angela enlisted into Overwatch, and that he was perfectly fine with Blackwatch keeping Genji. Though he didn’t know the exact details, it was easy to guess.

Reyes had told him Angela was a brilliant doctor. That was enough reason as to why Jack would want her for his own team. Everyone could use a good healer. As for Hanzo, if Jack had read his, Reyes’, and the rest of Blackwatch’s report on what happened during the mission in Hanamura, then it was clear that the Strike-Commander wanted someone of the archer’s caliber in his own ranks, likely as a dedicated sniper. Then there’s Genji. The picture they painted of the younger brother wasn’t pretty (though who could blame them considering how the man worked with those swords of his) and Jack probably saw it in the man’s demeanor in their meeting too. One look at him and you know he’s more suited for Blackwatch operations than Overwatch. Genji probably reminded Jack of a much younger and more boisterous version of Reyes.

It was there that the in-fighting began. The pair argued at _length_ about where the three should be assigned which culminated with them not getting to decide at all. After a brief explanation on what each division does, Hanzo, Genji, and Angela decided for themselves where they wanted to work.

Angela chose Overwatch simply because she thought her work would flourish better there. Genji chose Blackwatch because he figured the missions they were bound to do would be more “fun”. Hanzo expressed his desire to work with both teams so he can keep an eye on Genji and Angela but was shot down immediately by both Jack and Reyes, telling him that isn’t how things worked. Reyes did tell him, however, that if Angela was going to work in Overwatch’s medical department, he’s still going to see a lot of her. It’s only on the field they won’t get to work together. But if he does choose Overwatch over Blackwatch, then times of when he’ll be able to see Genji are slimmer unless they somehow catch them on base which wasn’t often.

Having heard this, Hanzo came to his conclusion quickly. He chose Blackwatch in order to keep an eye on his brother, apparently not because he didn’t trust Genji, but because Angela’s job is relatively safer and less likely to require his help personally.

After this agreement and when their contracts were signed and their IDs created, they went their separate ways and here they were now. Jesse was heading towards Blackwatch’s “specially assigned area” together with a pissed off Reyes, expressionless Hanzo, and a very excited Genji.

It was only when they entered the elevator than anyone spoke again, and it was Genji who broke the silence.

“Underground?” he inquired when Reyes pressed his finger flat on an unmarked button.

“All the elevators on this base will have a button like this. It’s a finger scanner, works only if you’re Blackwatch and it will take you underground, where our facilities are. Basements two, one, the ground floor all the way to the upper floors are all Overwatch. Everything below basement two is assigned to Blackwatch and you’re free to use whatever you please there. Shared spaces between both divisions upstairs only include the mess hall located on the ground floor of the West Wing as well as the dormitories located on the floors directly above it.”

“And the medical department?” Hanzo added, looking over at Reyes expectantly. “You said we’ll be able to see Angela whenever we wished unless she’ll be assigned on the field.”

“Canteen, dormitories, and the medical department,” Reyes corrected with a quick nod.

“Angela can’t come down to us then?”

“What? You gonna get too lonely without your girlfriend around?” Reyes asked Genji with a cock of a brow.

“She is my partner,” he replied, uncharacteristically serious.

From the way he said the words, Jesse thought it was an odd way of referring to his own girlfriend but he didn’t dwell on the matter. The elevators finally stopped with a _ding_ and the doors slid open in front of them.

The space before them was bustling with activity which was a stark contrast as to how Blackwatch was perceived by its counterpart. Though Blackwatch was severely undermanned, that was only true as far as their field agents were concerned. Behind the scenes, they had more than enough help to keep operations running smoothly and without problem.

“All these people are Blackwatch?” Hanzo inquired as they made their way down the wide and well-lit hallway while trying to avoid people who were walking past and doing whatever it was they were doing.

“Yes.”

“Technically, they’re Overwatch with granted security clearance,” Jesse supplied with a tip of his hat towards a young woman who shot him a smile as they passed.

“Same thing,” Reyes grumbled.

The austere commander led them down a few more hallways before finally coming to a stop in front of a wide set of metal doors. It slid open without command as soon as their feet touched the matted area in front of it.

“’Bout time you all showed up!” someone bellowed out loud.

Hanzo was shorter than Jesse and he was able to see over the archer’s shoulder. Inside the room were all the field agents of Blackwatch. Reyes had apparently alerted them all to gather in the main lounge to greet their newest members. Most of them were still dressed in their gym clothes.

“Ha! Knew it was gonna be them, you guys better pay up! I expect those credits in my account before the day’s over.”

There was a collective grumbling at this.

“You guys were betting on this happening?” Jesse asked, eyebrows raised and looking at Martinez who looked to be the winner of whatever bet they made.

“I made a guess and I was right.” Martinez grinned, revealing the gold coating on his canines as he got up from the sofa he was lounging on to walk over to the new arrivals. “Good to see you two again.”

“Hello Martinez,” Genji greeted with a grin.

“Yo, crazy samurai man.”

Jesse could already see the younger brother fitting in with the rest of the group. Both brothers already left a good impression on the Blackwatch members since Hanamura. But the guys who saw Genji’s work in particular couldn’t stop talking about it for a while even after their groups went their separate ways. Like Jesse, most of the members that come into Blackwatch were _former_ criminals. If not, then they were hard-asses like Reyes who had no qualms in breaking rules to get the job done. It wasn’t easy to impress them as far as getting kills go but what Genji did in that compound that night definitely left them amazed to a certain degree.

Reyes cleared his throat, causing a hush to fall in the room.

“As you are all now well aware, we got ourselves some fresh meat.” He nodded towards Hanzo beside him and Genji behind him. “Hanzo and Genji will be joining the ranks of Blackwatch from this day forward. Be sure to show them the ropes and make ‘em feel welcome. I won’t tell you that you can’t fuck over our newbies like you usually do when we get new recruits since you never listen to me anyway.” Reyes rolls his eyes at this, causing some of the men to snicker and smirk in reply. “But most of you already know what these two are capable of so I’m tellin’ you now for your own sake not to bother with that shit this time around.”

There was a chorus of “Yes, sir” and “You got it, boss” from the men though Jesse wondered if they truly meant it or not. Maybe the four who actually saw Hanzo and Genji in action, but the other two in the group who have yet to meet them or see what they can do— _especially_ Kraus—he wasn’t too sure. Jesse turned to the large German man in the corner who was obviously eyeing Hanzo with appraisal and already he knew the man hadn’t listened to Reyes words at all.

Shaking his head, it took all that he had to try and not to laugh.

* * *

“And these are your new quarters.” McCree gestured towards the set of doors he had stopped in front of. “Scan your prints on that panel.”

Genji did so and the doors in front of them slid open revealing a decently-sized room. It wasn’t anything fancy but had everything they could ever need for a comfortable enough day to day life from a mattress with clean sheets, a closet, a table and chair in the middle, a desk in the corner with a tablet already sitting on the surface, and a large singular window revealing a pretty nice landscape of grasslands and the Swiss Alps in the farther distance.

Hanzo stepped inside, following Genji as he checked the various drawers and cabinets. He pulled open the only door in there and it revealed a small space which had a toilet and sink with a mirror and a few shelves.

“Where’s the shower?” his brother inquired.

“Only the big-shots get their own showers with their rooms. The rest of us have to use the communal ones located in all floors. Men’s will be in the southern side. Hard to miss. Careful not to try and sneak into the women’s one either if you wanna keep yer head connected to the rest of ya.” This last comment made him raise a brow at the cowboy, almost sure he was speaking from experience.

Genji shrugged at this, seemingly not bothered as he haphazardly tossed his belongings on the floor at the foot of the bed. He was more careful—as he should be—with his swords, however, which he placed on the table.

After introductions and a quick tour of the Blackwatch base courtesy of Reyes, their esteemed commanding officer had left it to McCree to “deal with the rest”. He brought Hanzo and Genji around the Swiss HQ even to areas exclusively used by Overwatch. They even ran into Angela who told them that she had since been given the tour herself by whoever her representative was from Overwatch who had also apparently taken her to their hotel to retrieve their few personal belongings.

Hanzo had wondered, after seeing the interactions between Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes, just what sort of relationship the two divisions (and by extension, the two commanders) had. When they had spoken earlier, they made it sound as if they were completely separate but really, they were one and the same save for a few restrictions on some aspects on how each group operates.

They stepped out of the room once again and McCree gestured towards the rooms to the left and right of Genji’s.

“That one there is Angela’s room. And that one will be yours, Hanzo.”

McCree eyed Hanzo’s one duffel bag which was all the personal belongings he had been handed by Angela save for the suitcase that was apparently for safekeeping his bow and arrows. He never was one to get too attached to objects like trinkets and such. That was always Genji which explains his excess of baggage that was always a right pain in Hanzo’s ass whenever time came for them to move.

Catching his stare, McCree cleared his throat before walking towards the railing behind him and leaning over it. He looked to either of them now. “That should be it. Unless you two got any more questions?”

Genji followed him and placed his hands on the same metal railing. The West Wing of Overwatch’s Swiss HQ was an entirely separate building and it was probably the largest. It was wide and built like a hotel. Ten floors filled from top to bottom (except the ground floor which was where the mess hall and kitchens were located) with rooms, the private quarters of all the members of Overwatch who were permanently stationed at that particular base. The center area was completely open, giving them a view of the mess hall down below as well as the rooms from the opposite side of the building.

“When’s the first mission?” Genji inquired, already eager.

This made McCree chuckle. “Hold on to yer horses, bud. We gotta get you and yer brother prepped first. You don’t even have your Blackwatch gear yet.”

“What is wrong with what we are wearing?” Hanzo asked, brows furrowed.

McCree held both his palms up towards him in apparent defense. “Nothin’ at all. No problems with me at least,” and Hanzo watched the cowboy’s eyes lower down from his face until it stopped at his tattoo around his wrist before it slowly trailed all the way back up again to where it ended on his exposed pec. “That is, Reyes might want you two to wear something a little less…” he looked thoughtful for a moment “eye-catching.”

Genji chuckled at this, obviously not missing how the young man was eyeing Hanzo. It wasn’t lost to either him or Hanzo that though he was talking about their state of dress, he was quite obviously looking at a part of Hanzo that _wasn’t_ dressed at all.

“If you say so cowboy,” Genji responded with a grin. Hanzo could only shake his head.

* * *

“He seems very taken with you.”

Hanzo didn’t reply to this, but instead continued putting away his things. He didn’t have much besides spare clothes, toiletries, his communicator, some extra materials for making new arrows, and a servicing kit to keep Storm Bow in the perfect condition that it is. The only item he owned that wasn’t completely necessary (though he thought overwise) was the old ceramic tea set he liked to keep so he could make his daily brew of tea. It was over a hundred years old already and he was proud to say that it was still in pristine condition even with all the moving around that they do. Like their furniture, even the tablets and other forms of gadgetry that they’ve used over the years (save for the communicator) was constantly dumped and replaced with each place that they go.

“Who?”

Genji rolled his eyes at this and Hanzo pretended not to see.

“Oh please, you _know_ who. You’ll have to be blind not to see the kind of look he’s been giving you since we showed up. Actually, he’s been looking at you like that even when we were in Hanamura. Did something happen between you two that I don’t know about?”

Unbidden, a scene in which Hanzo had kissed McCree popped into his mind’s eye. But it wasn’t a _real_ kiss. It was a kiss, yes, but nothing special that would warrant the man’s seemingly keen interest in him. Surely McCree was well aware of why Hanzo even did that in the first place.

“Nothing happened,” he eventually said while keeping his face void of any sort of reaction that Genji might pick apart. “I don’t know why he is acting like that. Perhaps he is simply curious. He looks a fool but he certainly seems to have a sharp mind about him.”

Genji made an unconvincing noise to this but didn’t say anything else. He simply crossed his legs and began tapping his foot in the air with his arms behind his head as he laid down on Hanzo’s bed.

“And speaking of sharp minds,” Hanzo continued, his tone more cautious. “I need you and Angela to never let down your guard. Remember, we are in _Overwatch_. Everyone under the employ of this group is skilled in their own right and they will certainly be quick to question anything unusual they might pick up even in passing. So, do not give them reason to suspect us of anything out of the norm. The first sign of any kind of trouble that might expose us for what we are…then we are gone. Contract or not.”

“I got it, I got it. And I’m sure your words are only meant for me. We both know Angela will be the most careful, at least as far as _that_ secret is concerned.”

Hanzo smirked at this brother. “At least you are well aware of your own… _deficiencies_.”

As soon as the word left his lips, a pillow was thrown and it hit him right smack on the face.

* * *

Whistling under his breath, Jesse stepped out of his own quarters and proceeded down the hallway in the direction of the communal showers. He had a change of clothes in hand and his towel and various toiletries already sat waiting in his assigned locker (all agents get their own locker in the shower room of their assigned floor for the purpose of convenience). He was looking forward to getting cleaned up and getting rid of the day’s grime which had built up over all the training they’ve been doing.

After he had given Hanzo and Genji the tour, Reyes had called them back along with the other Blackwatch agents so he could conduct a sort of test for the brothers. It was so he can gauge their abilities in hand-to-hand combat as well as the use of various weapons besides their own preferred ones. The pair passed with flying colors of course. They had beat the course easily and in the quickest time possible than any other agent before them _and_ then some. When the training bots proved little challenge for them, Reyes had pit them with a few of the other agents so they too can get a proper feel for the pair’s capabilities. That or Reyes simply wanted their asses handed to them by a couple of newbies and he certainly got what he wanted by the end of it.

One thing’s for sure, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that Hanzo and Genji were combat ready. Both were equally skilled though they moved and carried out tasks differently. Hanzo’s movements were calculated, smooth to the point of looking graceful, more practiced, even _perfect_ but at the cost of being predictable. But he made up for it with strength, skill and his level-headedness. As for Genji, he was clearly more reckless than his brother (this made Jesse think how fitting it was that he chose a sword as his main weapon) and was more prone to making mistakes. But his moves were bolder and unpredictable. He never hesitates and he has a larger impact overall in fights. He had just as much strength as Hanzo and he worked with even more speed than his brother. He was fast. _Very_ fast. The agility he possessed was nothing like Jesse or any of them have ever seen before in a normal human being.

Jesse shook his head. He can already tell the difference it will make to their team with the two new recruits and already he was looking forward to the next mission…. whenever that will be. Usually Blackwatch was constantly on the move. There was _always_ something for them to do somewhere across the globe. In fact, their current stay at Swiss HQ which has been for nearly two straight weeks so far has been the longest they’ve had in quite a while. Normally, they would be on base for only a couple of days at a time. They spent more time on the field than home.

He supposed it was good luck though. Otherwise they wouldn’t have been there when Hanzo, Genji, and Angela joined up.

When Jesse finally arrived at the showers, the sound of murmuring and even cheers, caught his attention. He also noticed a small group huddled around the entrance and further inside the room. Clearly it wasn’t a line to use the showers, Jesse noted that a lot of the people gathered there were fully dressed and looked to have come from other floors rather than his own. He definitely recognized a couple of faces whom he knew for a fact didn’t live on the 6th floor of the West Wing with him.

“The hell is goin’ on here?” he demanded though to no one in particular as he attempted to squeeze himself through the crowd.

“Oh, it’s McCree.”

“Ask him! Maybe he can tell us.”

“Tell ya what?” Jesse asked, frowning now.

“Apparently some of your Blackwatch buddies are having a fight in there. Is that true?”

“Been a while since we got a show from you boys.”

Hearing this, somehow some part of Jesse already knew what was going on inside. More people were throwing questions at him but he ignored them all as he made his way through.

He stumbled into the locker area when he finally broke through the front line of people. They were all apparently held back by Bryson and Greene who were blocking off the area from interested onlookers.

When Jesse caught their eye, he frowned at them.

“Who is it?” he asked, voice rather calm all things considered.

With a smirk, it was Greene who answered him. “Kraus, of course. You know the man. He never could say no to a challenge.”

_Of course_ , Jesse thought inwardly as he made his way further into the room. The floor in the locker room was littered with clothes and various items and some of the benches were toppled over or shoved to the side, indicating the fight had started in there before moving further in. He could hear the low murmur of voices speaking from around the corner where the actual showers were.

“Yield.”

The sound of his voice caused a shiver to run up Jesse’s spine. And with wide eyes, he watched the ongoing scene with equal measures of amusement and awe.

The rectangular tiled room with knobs and showerheads on all corners was wide and had enough space to accommodate at least fifty Reinhardt-sized men. But his eyes zeroed in immediately on the small group gathered in the corner where the source of all the commotion was.

Jesse wasn’t sure what he expected to see before his arrival but it definitely wasn’t this.

There they were… Genji, Martinez, Ando, Z, and of course Kraus and Hanzo. The first four were currently standing to the side, gathered in a kind of half-circle while they watched the latter two who were currently pressed together against the wall. Rather, Hanzo had Kraus pressed up against the wall. He had the much larger man on his knees, his front shoved rather roughly against the teal-colored tiles, and his hands bent behind him which Hanzo held tightly together with only one hand. Hanzo’s other hand was pressed around the German soldier’s neck from behind and one foot was pressed down on the back of one of the Kraus’ knees.

Kraus was a large guy and the biggest one of them in Blackwatch, standing at 6 feet and 9 inches and made of pure muscle. The only person he knew that was bigger than him was probably Reinhardt. That’s what he had in common with the founding member of Overwatch. They were both big and they were both German. But that is as far as their likeness goes. Unlike the old crusader, Kraus didn’t have an honorable sense of justice. He probably had as much honor as any of them in Blackwatch had. _None_. Though he can’t say the same for Hanzo or Genji whom he can’t speak in behalf of. At any rate, Kraus was like the rest of them, shit attitude and all but with Reinhardt’s skin…and muscle.

And yet Hanzo managed to get the man _literally_ on his knees.

Somehow, Jesse could already imagine what series of events led to the present situation. Kraus had most likely taunted the shorter man (in the _shower_ no less) as he usually does whenever they get new recruits and it rightly pissed Hanzo off.

“Yield!” Hanzo repeated, his voice louder and more demanding as it bounced off the walls around them. He pressed his fingers tighter together between Kraus’ neck.

Again, another shiver ran up Jesse’s spine as he heard Hanzo speak and he had to gulp audibly as he shifted his gaze towards the archer now.

Inwardly, he was thanking _and_ cursing whatever God was looking down on them.

Hanzo wasn’t naked nor was he wrapped in a towel enough only to cover his private parts which Kraus currently was. The man had a white fluffy towel tied just around his hips and it looked ready to fall off at any second if it weren’t for the fact that he was pressed close to the wall which helped it stay in place. No, Hanzo was wearing a pair of low-hanging black sweats. But the material was thoroughly damp, which indicated the pair must have been in a scuffle all over the wet floor before now and unfortunately for Jesse, the material clung to Hanzo’s curves and he couldn’t help but stare…at his ass. It hugged the archer’s form and it left very little to his imagination and almost immediately, he felt something inside him stir. When he finally did raise his gaze to avoid staring at Hanzo’s rear-end, he was only left to stare again and this time over the expanse of lean muscle that covered the entirety of his exposed upper half. The man was _ripped._

A single glance over his narrow hips, his defined V-line, his tight abs, his bulging pecs, his muscular arms, his broad shoulders, and finally his perfectly handsome face which was partially covered by strands of hair (It wasn’t tied back in its usual ponytail and was instead hanging to one side) and already Jesse can feel himself being swallowed up by something underneath him at the same time he felt his dick spring to life from base to tip.

_Well, fuck_.

“Fine! I yield dammit! Now let go!” Kraus finally called out and Jesse had never been more grateful for hearing the man’s thundering voice as it echoed in the space around them.

Hanzo let go of him quickly and Kraus fell back to sit on his haunches, gasping for breath and rubbing the muscles around his neck.

“ _Sohn einer Hündin_ ,” he muttered as Genji stepped forward to help the man up.

“You are very strong!” Genji complimented, his tone rather cheerful. Jesse wondered if he knew his words were only adding salt to the soldier’s wounds. “I haven’t seen Hanzo having to put that much effort in fighting a man one-on-one before.”

Grumbling under his breath, Kraus turned to Hanzo as he retied the towel around his waist.

“You are stronger than you look.” Judging by his words, Kraus was apparently never entirely convinced with either brother’s skill even after Reyes’ assessment of the pair only hours previous. Then again, he hadn’t been personally tasked with fighting either of the two at the time.

Jesse turned to Ando and Z. They were the ones chosen by Reyes to fight Hanzo and Genji respectively and they both wore self-satisfied smirks on their faces which were currently directed at Kraus. Clearly, they had attempted to talk the man from doing whatever he did before the entire thing went down and were now enjoying seeing the arrogance wiped from the German’s face.

Over on the side, Hanzo ran a hand through his hair, shoving damp strands away from his face as he turned to look at Kraus.

“The same could be said to you,” he replied, his voice not really giving anything away, much like his face. Was he angry at Kraus? Irritated for being cornered in the shower? Or whatever it was that led to the present situation.

Jesse got his answer however as Kraus stepped forward to offer his hand. Hanzo looked at it for a moment before sticking his own forward and grasping it.

Although Kraus was one of the most temperamental in Blackwatch, he was also the type to respect strength above all. Rather than sulking like a child for loosing, he tended to respect those stronger than him instead and usually got along with them better after a fight. If it had been the other way around, however, and he had won, then his arrogance takes over and you won’t hear the end of it. That’s certainly how it went for Jesse.

He was fairly confident he can take on the guy now (at least, he believed so) but their own fight had already happened when he had been a new recruit, a scrawny kid of seventeen fresh out of Deadlock. Kraus was already nearing thirty at the time and had years and years of fighting and various combat experience on his side. Of course, Jesse lost and when he did he had to endure the man’s taunts and smug ass for over half a year until Blackwatch finally got a new recruit and he finally moved on to pick on somebody else. It wasn’t like the rest of them were innocent from these “initiations” (which almost always ended with a fist fight between agents) though. Even Jesse himself has taken part, the last one being when Bryson was brought in.

“Boring,” muttered Z with a shake of his head as he turned on his heel.

Laughing, Martinez did the same though only after patting Jesse on the shoulder and giving him a rather knowing look that he didn’t entirely like before stalking out the room.

“I’ll help you out with those,” Ando told Kraus with a shake of his head as he eyed the fresh cuts and bruises across his already heavily scarred body. After finishing his quick assessment, he turned to Hanzo. “I can take care of yours too, Hanzo. Unless you’d rather get it checked at the medbay by your lady friend.” He looked at the archer and after a quick scan on the other’s body, blinked back his surprise. “Or not.”

“Damn, thought I at least got a few good hits in?” Kraus too was looking over at Hanzo who merely shrugged in reply, after apparently having left their little scuffle completely uninjured. “Spar with me later!” he all but demanded.

“I’ll spar with you,” Genji answered instead, grinning.

“I’ve seen the way you fought Zei,” he told Genji with a snort. “You’ll be too much of a pain to deal with.” Z was their most agile agent…or at least until Genji and Hanzo came along. Although Hanzo’s speed seemed to be at par with Z’s, the same couldn’t be said for Genji. Even he was head and shoulders above the African man’s speed. Jesse supposed this was the main reason why Kraus chose Hanzo as his intended victim instead of his younger sibling.

“It would be _fun_ though,” insisted Genji, and his grin only widened.

“Yeah, fun for you.”

This made Genji bark out a laugh and Kraus couldn’t help but join in as he clapped him in the back and began heading out with Ando. When their group rounded the corner towards the lockers, it was only Genji, Hanzo, and Jesse left.

“Uh, you two good? This won’t happen again. It’s just somethin’ like tradition for Blackwatch and Kraus likes messin’ with new recruits, so he’s usually always the one who starts it.”

Genji shrugged. “It was a fun show.”

Hanzo scoffed at this as he too made to leave.

Jesse couldn’t help but follow his progress with his eyes and that was when he caught sight of the tattoo located low on Hanzo’s hip and barely peaking just above the band of his sweats. He hadn’t seen the tattoo at all from where he stood earlier but if he were to guess judging from what little he did manage to see now, Hanzo had another tattoo similar to that on his left arm and this one most likely covered the entirety of his right leg.

As if on cue, he felt his dick act up again, immediately tightening his pants.

“Like what you see, cowboy?”

Jesse nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of Genji’s voice. He turned to the ninja just as he came up beside him, a firm hand on his shoulder and a knowing smile—not completely unlike the look Martinez gave him earlier—stretched across his face.

“Say that again, pardner?”

“You heard me,” he answered with a brow raised at him. “I’ve seen the way you look at him.”

At a loss for words (for once), Jesse kept his mouth shut, deciding it was the smartest thing he could do at the moment.

But Genji only seem to have taken his silence for guilt.

Mercifully, however, he didn’t say any more on the matter. Instead he just laughed as he too made his way out of the showers.

* * *

When morning came, Jesse found himself in a less than ideal mood. For one, he hadn’t slept well. After the incident in the showers, his mind had been occupied with _very_ confusing thoughts of a certain archer for the rest of the evening that it actually messed with his ability to pass out instantaneously whenever he hopped into bed after his evening showers.

He wanted to make another attempt at sleep but the sun was already rising outside. So instead, he got his ass out of bed and went about getting dressed. He didn’t really have much by ways of a “morning routine” besides washing his face, brushing his teeth and getting dressed. Except perhaps his usual cup of coffee which he has recently been taking in the mess hall after having run out of his own personal stock in his quarters some weeks ago.

Letting out what was probably the longest sigh in the world, he stepped out of his room.

As luck would have it, the moment the doors slid open, he was greeted by nonother than the very cause of his restlessness together with his brother who had chosen that exact same time to walk past his room.

The pair turned to look at him, meeting his surprised expression with their own.

“Hello McCree!” Genji greeted, rather chipper which was a surprise. He had given Jesse the impression of someone who would be grumpy in the mornings.

“Mornin’,” he greeted back with a nod before turning to Hanzo and doing the same. The older of the pair was already regarding him rather blandly as usual. “You two are up mighty early.”

“Good morning,” Hanzo said with a curt nod.

“I could say the same to you. I never pegged you for an early riser,” Genji added as he leaned closer towards him, head tilted slightly. “You look awful. Trouble sleeping?”

“Pretty much,” Jesse grumbled though mostly to himself as the proceeded to walk down the hallway towards the elevators.

He kept his silence at that point as he followed behind the brothers, keeping his eyes inadvertently pointed towards the back of Hanzo’s head while the two resumed whatever conversation they were having before he showed up. They were both speaking in Japanese and though Jesse picked up a few things here and there with regards to the language during their short stint in Japan, he didn’t exactly know enough to understand, let alone keep up with what they were talking about.

Some seconds later, Genji chuckled rather loudly which earned him a scowl from Hanzo. Then he turned around to steal a not so subtle glance at Jesse before turning again and saying something in Japanese, his tone quite obviously playful.

Hanzo sighed rather loudly in reply to his brother, quite obviously exasperated and didn’t say anymore which earned him another chuckle out of his brother.

Jesse didn’t know what to make of this exchange but judging by how Genji had turned to once again look at him, this time shooting him a wink with that shit-eating grin of his, Jesse was quite confident they were talking about him.

Unbidden, his conversation with Genji in the showers the night previous came to mind. Jesse couldn’t help but wince.

* * *

He watched from behind, playing with his _shurikens_ between his fingers. Although the facilities available for them to train were quite extensive (enough to even impress his brother), Genji wasn’t interested in them. He had given the target range and training bots a few rounds and already he was bored.

_THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK_

The arrows were flying in such quick succession across the room and even with barely enough time to aim before each release they all still landed on their targets, barely making a sound as they did. Perfect shots, dead center as usual despite the ridiculous distance they were shot from.

Genji was about to leave his seat, thinking Hanzo was finally done only to see him pull out more arrows from the quiver behind his back.

He sighed.

“Bored?”

“Yes,” he replied, straightforward and not bothering to look up as he sensed the cowboy take a seat beside him. “I would rather practice my aim on an actual mission. Training is boring. Are you done?”

McCree shrugged before pulling out a lighter and a cigarillo box out of his pocket. “Didn’t feel much like target practice today.”

Genji turned to watch him then, just as he lit up a smoke and took a drag before blowing it over their heads.

He looked uncharacteristically serious. In fact, the young man has been acting like it since they met up outside his room that morning. “Look, Genji, I need to talk to ya.”

“Yes?”

“About what you said yesterday… at the showers…”

“You mean about your feelings for my brother?”

McCree turned to him sharply at this, looking more alarmed than what the occasion warranted.

“Yeah that,” he said with a frown. “I don’t have _feelings_ for Hanzo.”

“You don’t?” Genji asked, actually surprised.

“No, I don’t. I mean, yeah I admit, yer brother’s mighty fine lookin’ for a man but it’s not like I like him in _that_ way or nothin’. So you better not tell anyone that I do. Especially not him. You two are my colleagues now. I don’t wanna make things weird between us.”

Genji regarded the gunslinger closely and curiously. He sounded rather sure of himself as he said the words but it went against what he had observed thus far. McCree was not as subtle as he perhaps thinks he is. Although he and Hanzo had only been there for a grand total of two days, he had caught the cowboy staring at Hanzo more often than not during their time together. He thought even Martinez had noticed too judging by the amused looks Genji had seen him throw at McCree from time to time.

“May I ask you something?” he finally said.

“Shoot.”

“If you don’t like my brother in _that_ way, then why do you look at him so?”

“How do I look at him?” McCree asked, looking genuinely curious. A sort of startled look was also on his face.

“Like he’s the most fascinatingly interesting person you have ever met in your life.”

McCree snorted back his laughter at this and cocked a brow at him. “Beg yer pardon?”

Genji shrugged. “And last night, you looked like you were just about ready to jump him in the shower room.”

The cowboy opened his mouth but nothing came out. He stared at Genji, incredulous for a moment before his expression slowly changed into something like realization which was then no sooner replaced with something quite obviously was embarrassment. McCree’s cheeks were beginning to flush a deep red and too quickly, he shifted his focus back to his cigarillo as he pulled it back between his lips.

Genji had to try and not to laugh. If McCree genuinely didn’t know how he felt before, he definitely did now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, a big thanks to everyone who left a kudos and comments on this story and my other stories while I was away from AO3!


	4. Chapter 4

Metal doors that led into the briefing room hissed open and everyone in the room turned.

“You’re late,” Reyes said with a click of his tongue.

Looking surprised at the already gathered group, McCree gave their commander a kind of grimace before walking inside. Hanzo caught his eye then, but the cowboy was quick to shift his gaze to the floor, ducking his head and heading to the back to stand next to Kraus.

Hanzo didn’t know what to make of this, only that he’s noticed that McCree has been acting odd in the last two days. He still spoke to Hanzo when necessary but beyond that, he felt like the younger man has been avoiding him. Normally, this wouldn’t bother him so. But in this situation, he had to admit that it did. Hanzo was used to people avoiding him, especially those who aren’t accustomed to his personality and attitude…or those that he purposefully pushed away. This time, however, he didn’t think he’s done anything and yet McCree was acting like Hanzo _did_ do something.

This would have been a good thing if McCree were some stranger or someone he wanted nothing to do with, which he (and the rest of Overwatch and Blackwatch) was until he joined up four days ago. But now that McCree was his colleague and he was expected to work with him, he’d rather be in decent terms. It’s exactly why he had accepted Kraus’ shake of truce in the showers the other day after the man instigated that pointless fight. The more he got along with his colleagues, the less likely any issues will arise when they were on the job.

But for the life of him, he didn’t know _what_ he did to McCree as of late to deserve the odd treatment he’s been handing to Hanzo.

“Anyway, now that we’re all finally here.” Stepping aside to make sure everyone saw the large monitor behind him in full view, Reyes raised the tablet he was holding and tapped his fingers on the surface a few times until the monitor display switched from the Blackwatch logo into a kind of calendar with marked timelines. “We got a busy few weeks ahead of us, so it’ll be all-hands on deck.”

Hanzo pushed McCree to the back of his mind at this point and scanned through the display.

Santa Ana, El Salvador… Guadalajara, Mexico… Arizona, USA… Alberta, Canada… Dublin, Ireland... Toulouse, France… Weapons trafficking… Drug dealing… Illegal tech development and distribution… Omnic slavery…

They were going to deal with all sorts of issues in several places across the west.

“All that in three weeks?” Hanzo looked at Bryson when he asked this. At seeing the incredulous look on his face, it was safe to say that this kind of work load in such a short amount of time was not a regular occurrence.

“And more when we get back, I’m guessing.” Reyes swiped his finger over his tablet again. And the display shifted to, Hanzo assumed, some random criminal’s photo. “We fly out first thing tomorrow and it’s nonstop from there so I’ll be covering most of the necessary details of all the missions today.”

“Why are all these packed in just three weeks?”

“’Cause the guys upstairs are assholes with ridiculous expectations. But we’re Blackwatch. It’s not our place to question anything and we do whatever it takes to do our jobs.”

* * *

**_Toulouse, France._ **

“ _You keep very interesting company_.”

Hanzo didn’t even blink as the man before him eyed his companions. Greene stood somewhere behind him to his left while Zeidane stood to his right. Even without glancing towards the two, he knew the looks they must be wearing on their faces. Zeidane, or “Z” as most of the others call him, was tall, lanky, dark-skinned with multiple piercings, the most eye-catching of them all, the large ruby encrusted bar he wore over one of his thick eyebrows. He had a mean look about him and with one look you can tell he was a no-nonsense kind of guy. This was also precisely the reason why Hanzo liked working with him out of the other members of Blackwatch thus far. Greene, on the other hand, was reminiscent of Genji. The blond Brit was all smiles and natural charm. And unlike Zeidane, he was short and sturdy in build. He was even shorter than Hanzo by an inch or two. But Hanzo knew that what the man before him was referring to was less likely how his colleagues looked but rather what they were wearing. Hanzo was wearing a proper suit, fitting enough for the current meeting, but the other two were wearing their most ridiculous clothes fitting for the club they were now at in an attempt to blend in and it didn’t suit either of them _at all_. Genji and Bryson’s raucous laughter upon first seeing them when they stepped out in their “disguises” was still reverberating in the back of his own mind.

 _“I could say the same to you,”_ Hanzo replied, his French rolling out of his tongue as if he’d spoken the language all his life. His eyes shifted to the four omnics that flanked their _guest_. _“Let us get down to business.”_

_“But of course.”_

The man, “Jacques”, as everyone knew him by, turned to one of his omnic companions who promptly stepped forward, a case in hand.

Jacques took it from him before waving him away and he slid it across the low table between himself and Hanzo.

In silence, Hanzo watched as the man opened it with unnecessary flourish. Inside were discs the size of a grown man’s thumb nail. They were a dull silver in color, their surfaces smooth, save for the tiny and subtle engraving right in the middle of each piece which read: OMNICA CO.

 _“Bingo,”_ came a voice through his communicator.

 _“How do I know these will function as intended?”_ Hanzo looked up to Jacques again who was already eyeing him eagerly.

Smirking, the man gave another wave of his hand and the same omnic approached again. Without needing to be prompted, it turned around and bent its head forward. Although it blended in with the rest of the omnic’s metallic parts, Hanzo saw the familiar disc on the surface of its nape, barely catching the same marking of the company that produced them.

 _“It works,”_ Jacques reassured before once again waving the omnic away.

Hanzo stared at Jacques for a while. _“Very well. How much?”_

At these words, a wide grin spread across the French man’s face.

 _“We’re moving. Keep Jacques in that room at all cost. Reyes out.”_ He heard a short burst of static after their commander’s instructions and Hanzo knew it was up to him, Greene, and Zeidane to deal with the situation until the rest of their team show up.

 _“Monsieur Dupont,”_ Jacques spoke, his tone quite noticeably silkier than it had been all night now that he was closer to finalizing a huge sale. _“As you are well aware,_ Omnica Corporation _no longer produces these items. That is enough to increase the value of—”_

 _“Name your price.”_ Hanzo interrupted, his tone matching his face in terms of arrogance. _“It is of no consequence.”_

The other man’s brows shot up imperceptibly before he attempted to school his expression to something more neutral.

“Ten million credits,” Jacques told him as he leaned forward, elbows resting on the table just behind the still open briefcase. _“Each.”_

Hanzo looked at him, and then down to the case. There were twenty discs in there, the surface of each innocently reflecting light back at him from the fluorescence overhead.

“Of course,” Jacques continued as he leaned further in, closing what distance there was between himself and Hanzo over the table. He was speaking in English now, his voice heavily accented. “I am not an unreasonable man. I am willing to, ah, _negotiate_ if you like.” As he said this, he looked Hanzo up and down with a rather lascivious leer, leaving everyone in the room no doubt what it was exactly he wanted in exchange for a decreased price on the discs.

 _So predictable,_ Hanzo thought as he slowly got up from his seat.

Behind him, he could hear Zeidane and Greene shift. Behind Jacques, a kind of loud hum could also be heard emanating from the omnics.

With wide, eager, and _expecting_ eyes, Jacques raised his hand without looking at them, keeping them at bay. His eyes never left Hanzo as the archer walked around the table until he stopped right next to him.

“ _You are, indeed, a fine-looking man, Monsieur Dupont.”_ Jacques’ voice came out as a whisper as he said this. He dared to reach a hand over to Hanzo, touching him lightly on the arm with his knuckles and letting it slide down slowly until it stopped right over his hand which he then grasped firmly.

Smirking down at him and not pulling away from his touch, Hanzo proceeded to sit himself down on the arm of the chair Jacques was sitting, his free arm draped over the back, letting his hand settle on the man’s shoulder.

_“Maybe, if you can have your companions leave us, we can—”_

The sound of glass shattering and people screaming cut Jacques off mid-sentence as he turned towards the only door in the room. Crashes came next as people apparently scuffled outside, then finally the sound of bullets being fired reached their ears.

 _“Don’t just stand there! We leave, now!!”_ Jacques barked at his party of mindless robots as he pulled out a gun from a concealed holster inside his suit jacket. Getting to his feet and ignoring Hanzo, he reached over towards the still open case. But Hanzo moved quicker.

Using his feet, he slammed the case shut, kicked it into the air and Greene caught it easily.

_“What do you think you are d—”_

But once again, Jacques was cut off. He had turned his gun on Hanzo, apparently about to shoot but the archer stopped him before his finger could even pull the trigger. He had pulled a dagger which had been concealed in the sleeve of his own suit and had swiped it at Jacques. What everyone thought was a slash at nothing but air actually caught the French man and his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as he watched his gun fall to the ground, accompanied by his hand.

Hanzo had cut his entire hand off clean from the wrist.

Only when the blood began spattering from the open and exposed arteries did the man begin to scream, toppling to the floor as he did. And in that exact moment, the door behind Hanzo was kicked open and walking through it looking as calm as if they had simply arrived late for a boring meeting they’d rather not attend, were Reyes and McCree.

The pair scanned the room. Zeidane and Greene had their weapons out and they were trained on the omnics that were frozen where they stood. Then they turned to Hanzo who looked back at them with an expressionless look on his face.

 _“You cut off my hand you fucking bitch! I’ll kill you!!”_ Jacques spat from the ground, his eyes wild and murderous and it was aimed at Hanzo. It didn’t even look like he noticed their new guests.

Lowering one of his shotguns and resting the other over his shoulder, Reyes looked away from Hanzo to look down at Jacques.

“You cut off his hand.”

He didn’t sound angry as he said this. Merely pointing out the obvious.

On the other side of the room, Greene chuckled audibly. “He was getting a little handsy with Hanzo.” When he said this, Hanzo saw McCree snap his attention towards Greene before turning to Jacques. Hanzo thought there was a kind of pitying look on his face when he first came in and saw the state of the dealer but any trace of it was gone now as his eyes narrowed at the still-howling man instead. “Can’t really say he deserved to get his hand cut off though.” But despite this addition, Greene was still grinning.

Reyes hissed in irritation as Jacques continued to scream and curse, all the while trying to keep his hand from spattering and oozing more blood.

“McCree,” the commander eventually barked, turning slightly towards the cowboy next to him. “Get Ando in here. Can’t have this guy bleed to death when we haven’t even interrogated him yet.”

* * *

“Hey!! HEY!!! I will talk! Hurry it up already!!”

His face was turned to the large glass mirror to the side. Though he has never been subjected to interrogations before and he has never been in a place like this himself, he had seen enough movies to know that the mirror was two-way and there were people on the other side watching him.

Seconds later, the door behind him opened. He listened for the heavy footfalls and the jangling of spurs until a person appeared in the corner of his eye. He recognized him as one of the younger guys who had showed up at the club after the deal went down in flames. Besides that, he didn’t know what to make of him. He had been far too gone with his wound in that room to remember much before the asshole Dupont—if that was even his real name—cut his hand off.

He looked down at the bandage covering the stump on his right arm and inwardly cursed. Some other Asian looking guy had treated it afterwards…if you call his quick disinfecting and haphazard bandaging “treat”. He was at least given painkillers. Not that he was anywhere near grateful for it.

When the _cowboy_ —he eyed him suspiciously—sat on the opposite chair from him across the table, he grit his teeth.

“Well?” the man inquired, expecting. His voice low and drawling and immediately revealing he was American.

 _“What do you want to know?”_ he retorted, reverting back to French.

The man sighed as he leaned back against his chair, eyes still on Jacques.

“We both know you can speak English just fine. If you insist on speakin’ French, then I can always bring in Ha— _Dupont_ in here. I’d advise against it though unless you wanna lose more limbs. He’s a pretty _touchy_ fella’.” He gave Jacques a wink and a rather unfriendly leer.

 _Touchy fella’._ The joke wasn’t lost on Jacques and all he could do was scowl. “What do you want from me…”

“You already know what. Information. We all know you’re just a dealer. Tell us what we need to know and we’ll let you go. Simple as that.”

* * *

His eyes never left Jacques as the man finally began to sing. Although it took a good few hours for the man to cave, he at least gave up all the information they needed quickly. He hated drawn out interrogations, even if he wasn’t the one personally doing them.

A soft tapping of footsteps reached his ears just then and he turned. The stars of the day were walking towards him, conversing in low voices and only stopping when they caught sight of him.

“Hey boss!” Genji greeted rather jovially, acting so _chipper_ as if the man hadn’t cut down nearly a dozen people and omnics just the night previous.

“How is the interrogation going?” Hanzo inquired. Always the more serious of the pair.

They both stopped in front of the glass and watched the scene on the other side.

“Should be done soon,” he replied gruffly, his arms crossed over his chest. “McCree’s just about—”

_BANG!_

Gabe’s brows shot up all the way to his hairline as he watched McCree in the room, he was standing up with the barrel of his revolver still pressed on the back of Jacque’s only hand. He had pulled the trigger and there was blood dripping from the wound that had gone through the man’s palm. He could even see pieces of skin mingle with the wood from underneath the blown through armrest of the chair where Jacques forearms were tied.

“The fuck?!”

Jacques was howling like a wounded dog again and cursing like there was no tomorrow as Gabe watched McCree pat him on the shoulder and proceeded to leave the room.

He waited until the cowboy left the room completely and rounded on him as soon as he made his approach.

“What the fuck was that for?” he demanded, but McCree’s eyes were on the archer standing next to Gabe, his face almost unreadable before he finally looked up at him.

“He was bein’ an ass.”

“He gave you the information we needed.”

“Doesn’t mean he had to be an ass about it,” he grumbled a little petulantly.

Already, Gabe could feel the beginnings of a headache start to form. It wasn’t as if he was opposed to violence (he’s given harsher treatment to others before), but what McCree did just now was wholly unnecessary especially since it only meant added paperwork on not only the cowboy but _him_ as well since he had been there to witness the whole thing. If the guy had been injured prior to interrogation and before cooperation, they can easily explain any injury as something like necessary force. But now he had to explain whatever shit McCree pulled and surely, they’ll be thoroughly questioned about it during debriefing. That’s more crap he’ll have to hear coming from Jack.

Trying to calm himself (and failing), Gabe jabbed a finger at McCree.

“I don’t know what the fuck’s going on with you lately but you’ve been acting like a kid these last few weeks. Get your shit together, _cabron,”_ he snapped. This was the truth. In this string of missions, they’ve had to do, McCree has been off his game. He can still shoot straight, which was the most important thing but he’s been acting weird and unlike himself, especially when something happens involving… Gabe turned his gaze towards Hanzo. The archer was also eyeing McCree with a frown. Beside him, Genji looked the exact opposite. He looked almost gleefully at the cowboy as if he had uncovered some sort of secret that no one else knows about. He clicked his tongue and turned to McCree again. A notable flush was on his cheeks now as he refused to look at any of them, instead pointed his gaze to the floor. To think he thought things would be easier now that they had two highly skilled fighters on their team. Instead, their addition seem to have only added complications Gabe _definitely_ did not want to deal with. “Whatever the fuck is going on with you, deal with it already.”

* * *

**_Somewhere in the middle of Lake Annecy. Annecy, France._ **

The carrier lurched forward as it made its final descent and the entire cabin rumbled when it finally hit ground.

Everyone moved out of their seats at the same time the bay doors began lowering and the engines slowly powering down.

Glancing out the nearest window, Hanzo noted that they weren’t in Zürich. He had assumed they were returning to Swiss HQ since it was the closest base to where their last mission had taken place but apparently not. Instead of seeing the snow-covered peaks of the Swiss Alps, what he saw instead was an overly large mansion seemingly propped up out of the water in the middle of who-knows-where. There were more buildings along the shore in the distance, designed similarly in old century architecture but mostly all he could see were lush trees in various shades of green spread across hills and mountains with their colors almost shining vivid under the cast of the late-afternoon sun.

When he heard someone give out a low but audible whistle, Hanzo turned and caught sight of the reason for it.

A tall, slender, gorgeous young woman stood at the foot of the ramp leading up to the carrier. She was wearing a simple sleeveless navy-blue dress that ended just above her knees with matching strappy open-toed heels. Her long black hair was pulled back in a high ponytail behind her and her red lipstick popped out in contrast to her fair complexion.

Reyes started down the ramp first and smiled when he caught the young woman’s eye.

“Amélie,” he greeted, his voice gruff and uncharacteristically _fond_ as he embraced her. The pair exchanged kisses on the cheek. “It’s been a while.”

“Gabriel, yes it has,” she greeted back in a thick French accent, a smile on her pretty face. Doing this seemed to only make her cheekbones more prominent. “I told Gérard he should invite you more often.”

“And as I said, _Commander_ Reyes is often too busy. He has very little free time as it is and I doubt he would willingly choose to spend it with us and our little dinner parties.”

The two turned around as another figure appeared from a hidden set of stairs that led into the mansion.

Hanzo recognized him as much as he did the woman Reyes was still holding on to. This man was tall, taller even than Reyes himself though he had less muscle on him. His dark hair was combed down neatly atop his head and he wore a short but neatly combed moustache.

“Gérard,” Reyes greeted and he was even smiling now as he outstretched an arm towards him at the same time the man called Gérard did the same.

“Gabriel, good to see you. How was Toulouse?”

“The hell if I know. Wasn’t like we spent the last few days there sight-seeing.”

Gérard laughed at this as he clapped Reyes in the back genially.

“Gérard Lacroix and Amélie Lacroix.”

Hanzo tore his gaze from the scene unfolding outside the carrier and turned instead to Kraus whom he was surprised to find was now standing right behind him, between himself and Genji. Despite the man’s bulk, he can still be sneaky whenever he chose to.

“Should we know who they are?”

“Gérard’s an Overwatch agent. Amélie’s his wife. Rich family, plenty of connections.”

“Overwatch?” Genji echoed, not masking his surprise. Hanzo was just as surprised as he was. They’ve worked under Blackwatch for almost three weeks now and they’ve had little to no contact with any of the “normal” Overwatch agents except when necessary and usually they were behind closed doors of the various Overwatch bases they already visited across the globe. They, after all, weren’t supposed to exist. To be out in the open like this and with an Overwatch agent to boot, it worked against everything they’ve been told to do as members of Blackwatch.

Apparently seeing the confusion on their faces, Kraus was quick to explain.

“Château Guillard is safe. A barrier field has been set up around the mansion so no unwanted eyes can see whatever’s going on in here. It was necessary mainly due to all the attempts made on Gérard’s life.”

“People want him dead? Why?”

“It’s mainly a certain organization that wants him gone. Talon. Heard of them?” Both Hanzo and Genji nodded. They’ve heard as much about Talon as they did Overwatch. They probably even heard about Talon first before Overwatch, some years before the Omnic Crisis ever happened. They were a notorious terrorist group and a menace to society. “Yeah, well, they’re nearly _obsessed_ with getting rid of Gérard. They always failed though.” Kraus smirked at this, as if the thought of Gérard escaping death was more amusing rather than alarming which it, in fact, was. Not the multiple escapes but Talon’s apparent obsession with getting rid of one man.

“Has he done something to warrant such attention from Talon?”

“He’s the man in charge of Overwatch operations against Talon specifically and he’s done a good job of it too. He’s the reason why Talon hasn’t moved much in recent years. Really knows how the guys on the other side think. I figured that was always the reason why he and Reyes get along so well.” As he said this, he looked away and searched around the carrier until his gaze landed on the cowboy who was quietly leaning against the back wall behind them. “What do you think, McCree?”

They all turned to look at him but McCree didn’t even bother replying. He simply shrugged his shoulders and tipped his hat further down over his face.

Kraus looked towards him with amusement for a while but shrugged.

Hanzo, on the other hand, continued to stare at the cowboy, already feeling annoyed at the sight of him. Next to him, he caught Genji’s eye and though his brother didn’t say anything, he gave Hanzo a pointed look and tilted his head back towards McCree.

His message was clear. _“You need to talk to him.”_ Hanzo was about to click his tongue at this but the loud laughter echoing from down the ramp caught everyone’s attention.

Reyes and the Lacroixs were now looking up towards them.

“We’ll be spending the night here, you ingrates! Hurry your asses and get inside.”

* * *

“Couldn’t sleep?”

He looked up from the glass of whiskey he had been nursing between his fingers and nodded his greeting at their esteemed host.

“Have a lot’a stuff in mind,” he muttered before downing what was left of his drink. He smacked his lips as he brought the glass back down. Gérard always did have the best booze.

Chuckling, the man himself closed the distance between them and picked up the decanter sitting in front of Jesse and poured himself a glass before sliding into the stool opposite him.

“Heard from Gabriel you’ve been acting odd lately,” Gérard began, his tone casual.

“’Course he did.” Jesse rolled his eyes. Of course, Reyes already told him.

“Is it the new recruit? Hanzo, was it?”

He nearly toppled over the crystal glass he had been distractedly twisting around in his hands. “Did Reyes tell you that too?!” he demanded, frowning.

Gérard out right laughed at him before taking a sip of his drink and flashing Jesse a knowing grin.

“He didn’t have to, Jesse. It’s written all over your face. And it was hard not to notice how determined you were to avoid the man’s eye all through-out dinner. Even Amélie noticed. She asked me if you Blackwatch boys were in a fight or something.”

“You’re talkin’ like an old man. You know Hanzo and most of the guys in Blackwatch aren’t that much younger than you.”

“Doesn’t mean more than half of you don’t act like kids,” Gérard replied with a shrug.

“Point taken.”

“Now don’t try to deflect. Is _something_ going on with you and the archer?”

“Naw…. it’s just me. He didn’t do nothin’.”

“Didn’t look that way to me.” Jesse didn’t know what to say to this. But his confusion was apparently evident on his face as Gérard continued. “Well, if you actually _looked_ at the man, you’d see he’s just as bothered with whatever it is that’s going on between you two. He’s been trying to catch your eye all night.”

“Was he?”

Again, Gérard laughed. He stood up, finished his drink and walked over to Jesse, a smile on his face.

“Go talk things out. You won’t fix things if you continue avoiding it—him,” he corrected as he patted Jesse on the shoulder. “Anyway, it’s good to see you again Jesse.”

“Likewise. And thanks for the advice, _old man_.”

Gérard barked out a laugh at this as he went on his way, leaving Jesse with his own unsettled thoughts once more.

* * *

Hanzo sat with his back straight and his legs folded underneath him. Eyes closed, breathing even, tuning everything and nothing out. He always liked to meditate, especially at ideal locations like this one.

He was currently out on the balcony which was connected to the bedroom that was assigned to him. The air out there was fresh, the gentle breeze hitting him right in the face. Even the massive lake that surrounded the mansion was still. The surface of the water barely moved and even if it did, there was no sound.

It was peaceful.

_BAM BAM_

Eyes flying open at the sudden onslaught of sound in the immediate space around him, Hanzo turned around. He stared at the door across the bedroom for a while until the sound returned. This time, much quieter. Whoever it was, they probably realized all the noise they were making in the otherwise quiet building.

Sighing, Hanzo got up and walked over purposely to the door and pulled it wide open.

A pair of startled honey-brown eyes met him.

“McCree,” he greeted, his tone curt. His own eyes narrowed at the sight of the cowboy. McCree had been avoiding his eye all night and has been avoiding _him_ for days as if he were the plague. And yet he was here now, actually seeking him out. Why?

“Err, hi,” McCree said, a little awkward as he began shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “Can we talk?”

This was bound to happen eventually. If McCree hadn’t come to him on his own like this, he would have cornered the gunslinger as soon as they got back to Zürich at any rate.

Stepping aside, he gestured for him to enter.

McCree nodded his thanks at him at the same time he removed his hat. His steps were slow, almost cautious as he stepped inside. Hanzo could have sworn he saw the man jump when the door clicked close behind him.

Hanzo crossed his arms, staring at the back of McCree’s head.

“What did you wish to talk about?”

The taller man’s shoulders lifted for a moment as he took in a deep breath and sagged as he exhaled. Then he turned around to face Hanzo once more. The look on his face showed his determination. Whatever it was that he wanted to say, he clearly wanted to say it now at all costs.

McCree opened his mouth.

Hanzo waited.

…

And waited.

And waited.

Leaning his head forward slightly, hoping this will prompt the younger man to speak, Hanzo continued to stare at him. But no words still left him as the cowboy’s mouth opened, closed, and opened yet again. He looked like a fish out of water.

He cleared his throat. “Can I speak first?”

Blinking, McCree shook his head before correcting his response and nodding instead. Apparently still incapable of proper speech, he gestured his hand towards Hanzo, indicating for him to go ahead.

“Is this anything to do with why you have been acting out of character lately?”

“Yeah…” McCree’s voice came in barely a whisper.

“Is this because I _kissed_ you while we were in Hanamura?”

Whatever McCree expected him to say, it apparently wasn’t this as he was now looking at Hanzo with widened eyes and his mouth hanging open.

“Am I wrong?”

“I—yes. This ain’t about that. I mean, not really.”

Hanzo frowned. Was it? Or was it not about that?

Once again, McCree sighed.

“Can I set somethin’ straight with you?”

Hanzo nodded.

“I…I like women.”

Now whatever it was Hanzo expected McCree to say, it wasn’t _this_. What in the world did his sexual preference have to do with anything?!

“That is…okay?”

Noticeably dissatisfied by his reaction to his confession, McCree ran a hand through his hair in frustration before resuming his nervous fingering of the brim of his black Stetson.

“I’ve always dated women. Did all sorts with ‘em, you know?” Hanzo nodded, still at a loss as to what he was supposed to say to this. “And then….and then _you_ came. You…I don’t know. You didn’t do nothin’. I mean, yeah, you kissed me but even I know you did that ‘cause you were tryin’ to distract me at the time. But… yeah, since you joined up with us in Blackwatch and I got to see more…more of you…” His voice trailed away and a kind of flush creeped up on the cowboy’s cheeks. Whatever thought that came to him just now, it was apparently enough to fluster the man further. “A-Anyway, that’s why I’ve been out of sorts lately. I wanted to apologize for that and I don’t know…I wanna fix it. I wanna be normal again.”

McCree ended his little speech with that and Hanzo couldn’t help but notice how defeated he sounded _and_ looked. Whatever feelings he felt for Hanzo, it was apparently distressing him to the point of exhaustion. A part of him actually took pity on him…if it weren’t for the fact that McCree made it sound like it was _his_ , Hanzo’s, fault that the he’s been feeling out of sorts as of late.

“What do you want me to do about it?” He made sure to keep his voice leveled. The gunslinger was simply confused. Confused by his own feelings, yes, but confused nonetheless. Hanzo was fairly certain McCree didn’t like him in _that_ way, even if Genji suggested the possibility once before. And didn’t just McCree tell him that he liked women? So why in the world is he even having this kind of problem?

“I don’t know.”

A silence fell between them in which Hanzo continued to stare at McCree and McCree tried valiantly to look at anywhere else besides him.

It was Hanzo’s turn to sigh now.

This man was indeed a fool. He could hardly blame him, however. Humans in general were foolish, especially those as young as McCree was. Even his own brother had a streak of foolishness about him and he was more than two hundred years old already.

“May I suggest something?”

“Yeah?”

“If you are uncertain of your feelings and you want to confirm that your… _tastes_ have not changed. Then perhaps we should simply kiss again.”

* * *

Jesse stared at Hanzo. Did he seriously just suggest that they _kiss_?! And the archer actually said it all as if it were some kind of business proposition.

“Uh, say that again, pardner?”

Another sigh escaped the archer’s lips and Jesse thought he saw impatience cross his features.

Wordlessly, Hanzo stepped forward, closing the distance between them in an almost alarming rate and in the next moment there he was, standing nearly flush against his own chest, head slightly tipped upwards to look at him square in the eye.

“Do it,” he all but ordered.

Gulping, Jesse could only stare back.

Hanzo rolled his eyes and let out a kind of irritated noise before reaching upwards and fisting the front of Jesse’s clothes. His own eyes widened as the archer gave a rough tug and he was dragged down until their lips touched.

* * *

It was a simple and chaste kiss. Closed mouths simply pressed together with neither of them attempting to move.

McCree was frozen for the most part and Hanzo thought he got his answer. If the cowboy did have any sort of feelings for him, surely, he would react better to being in this kind of situation.

What felt like the longest second of his life passed, and Hanzo thought that should have been enough to prove his point. He loosened his hold on McCree’s clothes and started pulling away. Only that he couldn’t. He felt the cowboy move instead, felt his hands ghosting over his arms, going higher until it stopped on either side of his head where McCree apparently decided to hold on as he pushed forward and deepened the kiss.

Hanzo’s eyes widened as McCree’s closed in turn. The taller man slanted his head to the side at the same time he pushed forward, forcing himself impossibly closer to Hanzo and causing him to trip over his own feet. He gasped in surprise at this but McCree held onto him tight and took that opportunity to stick his tongue inside Hanzo’s mouth.

McCree was _very_ eager and—though he didn’t want to admit it—very skilled with his tongue. He was also unrelenting. No matter how much Hanzo tried to pull away, he only followed. Insistent.

 _It’s just a kiss,_ Hanzo tried to remind himself as McCree continued to assault him with open mouthed kisses and quick swipes of his tongue inside his mouth. If he forcefully shoved the cowboy away now, it would only make things even more awkward between them, he was sure, and he was done having to deal with that after the last three weeks.

So, he gave up trying to escape. Hanzo conceded and simply let him do as he pleased as he assumed the role of willing victim in this little…experiment.

When they finally did break apart, it was some minutes later. McCree had pulled back, looking rather dazed before slowly going wide-eyed and looking genuinely surprised at what he had done. His cheeks were ruddy and his breathing came in pants as if he had just run a marathon though really all he had done was stand there, tonguing Hanzo like there was no tomorrow.

“I…I’m sorry,” he suddenly confessed, spluttering. He sounded completely out of breath. “I—I…yeah…”

And with that, he made his leave. McCree moved so fast and out of nowhere that Hanzo didn’t even have time to properly digest his words or what just happened, let alone react accordingly. When he finally did turn around, fully intending to call the younger man back, the door had already slammed close and all he could hear was McCree’s quick steps as he retreated down the hall outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the reason why I've been gone from AO3 (again) is mainly because I've been playing an MMORPG with several of my friends for the last couple of weeks. I'm sorry you guys! I've over it now though, and I'm back to writing/reading. Hopefully I can write more for this story so I can update again soon. I've been writing a lot lately but its all spread out to several stories (still McHanzo of course) and I'm finding it hard to sticking to just one and completing it. Too much inspiration going on in my head. Ugh. But I'll try my best!
> 
> I'd also like to apologize for the lack of replies to the comments you guys left not only to this story but to the others as well. I've read them, however, and I really do appreciate it! I'll get around to replying another time!


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